IftI 


CORNELIUS 


Easter  Recipes.  MILDEWED    CLOTHES. — I    huv 

Hot  Cross-buns— Make  a  sponge  of  aicome  to  say  a    word    about  thos 
cup  and  ^"half  of  milk,  half  a  yeast- jdewed  clothes.   Do  not  be  alarme 
cake  dissolved  in  half  a  cup  of  warm  we  will  soon  have  them  all  right 
water,  and  flour  enough     to     make     a 
thick  batter.     Set  in  a  warm  place  ovei 
night.      In  the  morning  add  two  large 


of  sugar,  a  saltspoonful  of  salt,  and  as 
much  cinnamon  or  grated  nutmeg 
Work  in  more  flour  until -the  dough  can 
be  handled,  kneading  it  well.  Cover  anc 
let  it  rise  in  a  warm  corner  for  five 
hours  longer,  then  roll  out  into  a  sheet 
about  half  an  inch  thick,  and  cut  into 
~  rounds,  like  biscuit.  .  Lay  them  in  a 
buttered  baking  pan,  let  them  rise  half 
an  hour,  cut  a  cross  upon  each,  and 
put  into  the  oven.  When  they  are 
baked  to  a  light  brown  brush  over  with 
white  of  egg  beaten  up  with  fine  sugar, 
and  take  from  oven.  For  a  large  sup- 
ply double  the  quantity. 

If  you  have  no  egg-molds  you  may 
have  improvised  some  by  emptying  the 
contents  of  eggs  to  be  used  in  one  end. 
Rinse  the  shells  out  thoroughly  in  cold 
water,  and  fill  them  with  the  blanc- 
mange mixture.  Set  them  to  form, 
open  end  up,  in  a  pan  of  flour  or  meal, 
which  will  hold  them  steady,  and  put 
them  in  a  cold  place.  Make  your  nest 
of  preserved  orange-peel,  cut  in  shreds. 
The  orange  marmalade  put  up  in  glass 
jars  may  be  used  for  this.  ^Arrange  a 
bed  of  it  in  the  bottom  of  a  glass  or 
silver  bowl,  break  the  shells  from  the 
eggs  with  great  care,  and  arrange  them 
or  half  bury  them  under  whipped 


on  the  table,  sprinkling  them  p 
fully  with  dry  starch,  then  the 
using  a  little  more  salt  than  st 
G-et  a  bar  of  soap  and  rub  w 
over.  Hang  out  in  the  sun  or  \> 
the  grass.  The  brighter  the  su 
quicker  will  the  mildew  disap 
This  will  not  injure  the  most  de 


Just  get  .some  starch  '  and  roll  o 
larger  lumps  with  the  paste  pin, 
board  or  table.  -  Then  get  rather- 


salt  than  starch.  Now  dip  your 


n  cold  or   very 
out  the  heaviest 


cool 
well, 


water ;  sq 
throw  thei 


will    bleach    and    v\ 
I    have  used  it  ofu 


fabric,    but 
them  much. 

am  subject  to  sudden  attacl 
sickness  caused  by  a  hurt  to  the  £ 
which  often  comes  on  after  a 
washing  of  clothes.  I  have  spri 
them  down  at  night  hoping  tc. 
them  next  day,  but  have  ofte 
seen  them  again  for  a  week,  and 
would  be  black  with  mildew.  (1 
just  got  a  large  washing  away,  ^ 
was  in  a  very  bad  state,  not  one  i 
of  mildew  left  on  them.)  The  j 

the  quickest  and  most  sure 
At  times,  I  have  been  too  weak 
the  making  and  crushing  the  st 
bhen  I  have  done  this  way,  which 
be  useful  to  those  who  are  not  st 
and  without  help.  Melt  the  8 
and  salt,  say  about  a  pound  of  s 
and  a  pound  and  a  quarter  of  the 
to  about  two  pails  of  water  :  the 
in  the  clothes  and  meve  them  ab 
little  every  day, until  you  can  put 
out  of  doors.  It  does  not  rot 
or  turn  sour,  if  they  have  to  sta 
a  week  or  more.  You  may  do  tl 
any  time  of  the  year  whether  th 
shines  or  not.  It  will  only  take  1< 
on  dull  days. — An  English  Worn 
Toledo  Blade. 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

BEQUEST 

OF 
ANITA  D.  S.  BLAKE 


. 


' 


^ 


THE 


YOUM  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FBIMD. 


BY 


MRS.    CORNELIUS. 


REVISED  AND  ENLARGED. 


BOSTON: 

THOMPSON,    BROWN,    &    CO. 
1873. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859,  by 

M.    H.   CORNELIUS, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1863,  by 

M.    H.    CORNELIUS, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871, 

BY  M.  H.  CORNELIUS, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


AGRICULTURE 
GIFT 


STEREOTYPED   BY  C.   J.   PETERS  &   SON, 
5  WASHINGTON   ST.,  BOSTON. 


PREFACE. 


IN  preparing  this  little  volume,  my  aim  has  been  to  furnish 
to  young  housekeepers  the  best  aid  that  a  book  can  give  in  the 
departments  of  which  it  treats.  No  printed  guide  can  perfectly 
supply  the  place  of  that  experience  which  is  gained  by  early 
and  habitual  attention  to  domestic  concerns.  But  the  directions 
here  given  are  designed  to  be  so  minute,  and  of  so  practical  a 
character,  that  the  observance  of  them  shall  prevent  very  many 
of  the  perplexities  which  most  young  people  suffer  during  their 
first  years  of  married  life. 

The  receipts,  with  the  exception  of  about  twenty  which  are 
copied  from  books,  are  furnished  from  my  own  experience,  or 
that  of  my  immediate  friends.  An  ample  variety  is  given  for 
furnishing  the  table  of  any  American  family ;  but  especial  ref- 
erence has  been  had  to  those  who  have  neither  poverty  nor 
riches  ;  and  such  directions  have  been  given  as  will  enable  a 
housekeeper  to  provide  a  good  and  healthful  table,  or,  if  desired, 
a  handsome  one,  at  a  moderate  expense. 

To  save  repetition,  very  minute  directions  are  given  at  the 
head  of  every  chapter,  by  attending  to  which,  the  least  experi- 
enced cook  will  learn  how  to  proceed  in  making  each  article  for 
which  a  receipt  is  given. 

249  (iii) 


IV  PREFACE. 

I  do  not  attempt  to  give  directions  in  regard  to  the  best 
methods  of  taking  care  of  all  sorts  of  furniture,  and  performing 
all  the  various  kinds  of  household  labor,  because  there  are 
works  already  published  which  furnish  copious  and  judicious 
instructions  on  these  subjects. 

It  may  be  asked,  "  Why  then  publish  a  book  of  counsels  and 
receipts,  for  there  surely  are  many  receipt-books  ? "  This  is 
true ;  but  while  some  of  them  are  not  ample  guides  on  the  sub- 
jects of  which  they  treat,  others  are  based  upon  a  plan  both 
expensive  and  unhealthy,  and  all  of  them  that  I  have  seen, 
leave  an  inexperienced  housekeeper  at  a  loss  in  regard  to  many 
of  the  things  most  necessary  to  economy  and  comfort. 

I  have  seen  many  a  young  lady,  just  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  married  life,  perplexed  and  prematurely  care-worn,  for  want 
of  experience,  or  a  little  good  instruction,  in  regard  to  the  sim- 
plest domestic  processes  ;  and  often  have  felt,  with  the  sincerest 
sympathy,  an  earnest  wish  to  render  her  some  effectual  aid.  If 
I  succeed  in  affording  it  through  this  little  book,  I  shall  esteem 
myself  happy;  and  I  have  only  to  ask,  in  conclusion,  that  my 
numerous  young  friends,  and  all  the  youthful  housekeepers  into 
whose  hands  it  may  fall,  will  receive  it  as  a  token  of  my  friend- 
ly  interest  and  best  wishes. 

M.  H.  c. 
ANDOVEK  1816. 


PREFACE. 

TO   THE   REVISED    AND    ENLARGED   EDITION. 


IN  offering  to  the  public  a  new  edition  of  "The  Young 
Housekeeper's  Friend,"  I  wish  gratefully  to  acknowledge  the 
-favor  with  which  it  has  heen  regarded  during  the  twenty-five 
years  since  its  first  publication.  I  have  aimed  to  render  it 
more  worthy  of  patronage  by  a  thorough  revision,  the  omis- 
sion of  a  few  receipts  of  least  value;  the  addition  of  full  di- 
rections for  canning  fruits,  and  more  than  one  hundred  and 
fifty  new  receipts,  which  have  been  tested  by  experienced 
housekeepers.  I  am  indebted  to  several  friends  for  kindly  fur- 
nishing me  some  of  the  most  valuable  of  these.  While  the 
lessons  of  economy  taught  by  the  late  war  have  not  been  for- 
gotten, I  have  endeavored  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  pres- 
ent customs  of  society  for  a  greater  variety  of  dishes  than 
used  to  be  thought  requisite  for  the  ample  supply  of  a  gentle- 
man's table. 

In  the  additions  which  I  have  made,  I  have,  as  heretofore, 
given  much  more  minute  directions  than  would  be  appropri- 
ate in  writing  for  experienced  housekeepers.  My  earnest 
wish  still  is,  as  it  was  when  I  first  wrote  a  cook-book,  to  give 
real  aid  to  ladies  who  have  never  been  accustomed  to  family 
cares. 

I  have  to  request  that  those  who  use  this  book  would  give 
special  attention  to  the  general  Directions  at  the  head  of  each 
chapter. 

MARY  H.  CORNELIUS. 
NEWTON  CENTRE,  August,  1871. 


THE 


YOUffG-  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND, 


COUNSELS   AND    SUGGESTIONS 

Good  housekeeping  compatible  with  intellectual  culture. — Persevering  attention 
rewarded.  —  Effects  of  unhealthy  diet.  — RespomiUeness  of  women. — -Appli- 
cation of 'the  principles  of  religion  to  the  duties  of  domestic  life. 

A  SYMMETRICAL  education  is  extremely  rare  in  this  country. 
Nothing  is  more  common  than  to  see  young  ladies,  whose  in- 
tellectual attainments  are  of  a  high  order,  profoundly  ignorant 
of  the  duties  which  all  acknowledge  to  belong  peculiarly  to 
women.  Consequently  many  have  to  learn,  after  marriage, 
how  to  take  care  of  a  family ;  and  thus  their  housekeeping  is, 
frequently,  little  else  than  a  series  of  experiments  ;  often  unsuc- 
cessful, resulting  in  mortification  and  discomfort  in  the  parlor, 
and  waste  and  ill  temper  in  the  kitchen. 

So  numerous  are  these  instances,  that  excellence  in  house- 
keeping has  come  to  be  considered  as  incompatible  with  supe- 
rior intellectual  culture.  But  it  is  not  so.  The  most  elevated 
minds  fulfil  best  the  every-day  duties  of  life.  If  young  women 
would  resolve,  let  the  effort  cost  what  it  will,  to  perfect  them- 
selves in  their  appropriate  duties,  a  defective  domestic  educa- 
tion would  soon  be  remedied.  Observation  and  persevering 
attention  would  give  the  requisite  knowledge,  and  their  efforts 


8  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FHIEND. 

would  oring  a  speedy  and  ample  reward.  It  were  far  better, 
When  they  enter  upon  the  station  of  a  mistress  of  a  family,  to 
be  already  possessed  of  such  experience  as  would  enable  them 
easily  to  regulate  the  expenditures,  and  so  to  systematize  the 
work  of  every  day,  as  to  secure  economy,  comfort,  neatness, 
and  order.  But  if  this  knowledge  has  not  been  previously 
acquired,  let  not  the  learner  be  discouraged,  or  for  a  moment 
yield  to  the  idea  of  "  letting  things  take  their  course."  No 
woman  can  innocently  or  safely  settle  down  upon  this  conclu- 
sion. The  good  to  be  lost,  and  the  evils  incurred,  are  too  great 
to  admit  of  such  a  decision.  The  result  will  certainly  be  un- 
comfortable ;  and  it  would  not  be  strange  if  the  dearest  domestic 
affc  ctions  were  thus  chilled,  and  the  most  valuable  family  inter- 
ests sacrificed. 

How  often  do  we  see  the  happiness  of  a  husband  abridged 
by  the  absence  of  skill,  neatness,  and  economy  in  the  wife  ! 
Perhaps  he  is  not  able  to  fix  upon  the  cause,  for  he  does  not 
understand  minutely  enough  the  processes  upon  which  do- 
mestic order  depends,  to  analyze  the  difficulty ;  but  he  is  con- 
scious of  discomfort.  However  improbable  it  may  seem,  the 
health  of  many  a  professional  man  is  undermined,  and  his  use- 
fulness curtailed,  if  not  sacrificed,  because  he  habitually  eats 
bad  bread. 

How  frequently,  in  case  of  students  in  the  various  profes- 
sions, is  the  brightest  promise  of  future  attainment  and  honor 
overshadowed  by  a  total  loss  of  health;  and  the  young 
scholar,  in  whom  the  choicest  hopes  were  garnered  up,  is 
compelled  to  relinquish  his  studies,  and  turn  his  unwilling 
thoughts  to  other  pursuits  ;  or,  worse  than  this,  he  becomes  a 
helpless  invalid  for  life.  Yet  even  this  is  an  enviable  lot, 
compared  with  his,  whose  noble  intellectual  powers  have  be- 
come like  the  broken  chords  of  an  instrument  that  shall  never 
again  utter  its  melody.  But  are  such  evils  as  these  to  be 
traced  to  the  use  of  unwholesome  food  ?  Every  intelligent 
physician,  every  superintendent  of  our  insane  hospitals,  tes- 
tifies that  in  very  many  instances,  this  is  the  prominent 
cause. 


COUNSELS    AND    SUGGESTIONS.  9 

We  often  see  the  most  pious  Christians  heavy-hearted,  and 
doubting  their  share  in  the  great  salvation  ;  mistaking  llie  sal- 
utary discipline  of  their  Heavenly  Father  for  the  rod  of  an 
offended  judge  ;  forgetting  the  freeness  of  the  mercy  offered, 
looking  only  at  their  own  unworthiness,  and  refusing  to  be 
comforted.  Instances  of  this  sort,  resulting  in  incurable  melan- 
choly, may  frequently  be  traced  to  the  same  cause.  The  hu- 
man body  and  mind  are  so  intimately  associated,  that  the 
functions  of  the  one  cannot  be  disturbed  without  deranging 
the  action  of  the  other ;  and  it  is  doubtless  true,  that  many  a 
hopeless  heart  and  feeble  body  would  be  more  benefited  by  a 
wholesome  diet,  than  by  the  instructions  of  the  minister,  or  the 
prescriptions  of  the  physician.  To  say  the  least,  the  good 
offices  of  these  will  avail  little  while  counteracted  by  the  want 
of  the  other. 

If  this  subject  has  a  direct  bearing  upon  the  health  of  fam- 
ilies, so  also  does  it  exert  an  immediate  influence  upon  their  vir- 
tue. There  are  numerous  instances  of  worthy  merchants  and 
mechanics  whose  efforts  are  paralyzed,  and  their  hopes  chilled 
by  the  total  failure  of  the  wife  in  her  sphere  of  duty  ;  and  who 
seek  solace  under  their  disappointment  in  the  wine-party,  or  the 
late  convivial  supper.  Many  a  day-laborer,  on  his  return  at 
evening  from  his  hard  toil,  is  repelled  by  the  sight  of  a  disor-* 
derly  house  and  a  comfortless  supper ;  and  perhaps  is  met  by  a 
cold  eye  instead  of  "  the  thriftie  wifie's  smile  ;  "  and  he  makes 
his  escape  to  the  grog-shop  or  the  underground  gambling-room. 
Can  any  human  agency  hinder  the  series  of  calamities  entailed 
by  these  things  ?  No !  the  most  active  philanthropy,  the  best 
schemes  of  organized  benevolence,  cannot  furnish  a  remedy, 
unless  the  springs  of  society  are  rectified.  The  domestic  influ- 
ence of  woman  is  certainly  one  of  these.  Every  woman  is  in- 
vested with  a  great  degree  of  power  over  the  happiness  and 
virtue  of  others.  She  cannot  escape  using  it,  and  she  cannot 
innocently  pervert  it.  There  is  no  avenue  or  channel  of  society 
through  which  it  may  not  send  a  salutary  influence  ;  and  when 
rightly  directed,  it  is  unsurpassed  by  any  human  instrumentality 
in  its  purifying  and  restoring  efficacy. 


10  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

The  Bible  sanctions  this  view  of  female  obligation  and  influ- 
ence, in  the  description  it  gives  of  the  virtuous  woman.  "  Her 
price  is  far  above  rubies.  The  heart  of  her  husband  doth  safely 
trust  in  her,  so  that  he  shall  have  no  need  of  spoil.  She  will 
do  him  good,  and  not  evil,  all  the  days  of  her  life.  She  seeketh 
wool  and  flax,  and  worketh  diligently  with  her  hands.  She  is 
like  the  merchant's  ships,  she  bringeth  her  food  from  afar.  She 
riseth  also  while  it  is  yet  night,  and  giveth  meat  to  her  house- 
hold, and  a  portion  to  her  maidens.  She  considereth  a  field  and 
buyeth  it ;  with  the  fruit  of  her  hands  she  planteth  a  vineyard. 
She  girdeth  her  loins  with  strength,  and  strengtheneth  her  arms. 
She  perceiveth  that  her  merchandise  is  good,  and  her  candle 
goeth  not  out  by  night.  She  layeth  her  hands  to  the  spindle, 
and  her  hands  hold  the  distaff.  She  stretcheth  out  her  hand  to 
the  poor ;  yea,  she  reacheth  forth  her  hands  to  the  needy.  She 
is  not  afraid  of  the  snow  for  her  household ;  for  all  her  house- 
hold are  clothed  in  scarlet.  She  maketh  herself  coverings  of 
tapestry;  her  clothing  is  silk  and  purple.  Her  husband  is 
known  in  the  gates,  when  he  sitteth  among  the  elders  of  the 
land.  She  maketh  fine  linen  and  selleth  it ;  and  delivereth  gir- 
dles unto  the  merchant.  Strength  and  honor  are  her  clothing ; 
and  she  shall  rejoice  in  time  to  come.  She  openeth  her  mouth 
with  wisdom ;  and  in  her  tongue  is  the  law  of  kindness.  She 
looketh  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  eateth  not  the 
bread  of  idleness.  Her  children  arise  up  and  call  her  blessed  ; 
her  husband  also,  and  he  praiseth  her.  Many  daughters  have 
done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellest  them  all.  Favor  is  deceitful, 
and  beauty  is  vain ;  but  a  woman  that  feareth  the  Lord  she 
shall  be\  praise'd.  Give  her  of  the  fruit  of  her  hands,  and  let 
her  own  works  praise  her  in  the  gates." 

Like  the  paintings  of  the  old  artists,  the  beauty  of  this  ex- 
quisite picture  is  enhanced  by  the  "  softened  hue  of  years,"  and 
like  them  it  must  be  studied  long  ere  its  finest  touches  will  be 
revealed.  Female  virtue  is  the  same  now  that  k  was  in  the 
days  of  the  wise  man,  and  this  portraiture  is,  in  its  outlines, 
etill  true  to  the  life.  Energy,  industry,  economy,  order,  skill, 


COUNSELS    AND    SUGGESTIONS.  H 

vigilance,  cheerfulness,  kindness,  charity,  discretion,  and  the  fear 
of  God,  are  as  essential  to  the  character  of  a  good  wife  now,  as 
they  were  then ;  and  the  effects  of  these  are  still  the  same  in 
the  embellishments  of  her  house,  the  abundance  of  her  stores, 
the  happiness  of  her  household,  her  husband's  confidence  in  her, 
his  honorable  rank  among  the  elders  of  the  land,  the  virtues  of 
her  children,  and  her  own  felicity.  To  estimate  the  truth  of  the 
picture,  we  need  only  observe  in  society  around  us,  that  the  hap- 
piest families  are  those  in  which  the  wife  and  mother  most 
resembles  it. 

In  connection  with  this  subject,  the  inquiry  suggests  itself 
whether,  in  the  "  excessive  externalism  of  the  times,"  due  prom- 
inence is  given  to  the  practice  of  home-duties  as  a  part  of  re- 
ligion ?  Whether  the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament  is  carried, 
as  it  should  be,  into  the  every -day  concerns  of  life  ?  Is  not  the 
giving  largely  to  public  objects  of  benevolence  sometimes  suf- 
fered to  supersede  the  duty  of  "  considering  the  poor,"  and 
"  bringing  him  that  is  cast  out  to  our  house  ? "  Are  not  the 
claims  of  a  popular  charity  readily  allowed,  while  the  inevitable 
ills  of  life,  of  which  every  family  must  have  its  share,  are  some- 
times permitted  to  remain  unsoothed  by  the  voice  of  sympathy, 
and  the  gentle  ministry  of  skilful  hands  and  a  loving  heart  ? 
We  may  even  go  to  church,  when  we  should  offer  purer  incense 
to  Him  who  sees  the  heart,  by  performing  the  humblest  domes~ 
tic  labors  at  home.  Let  me  not  be  misunderstood.  The  public, 
institutions  of  religion  have  claims  upon  us  which  we  cannot  in- 
nocently set  aside ;  but  alas,  erring  mortals  that  we  are  !  our 
piety  is  seldom  symmetrical  and  consistent.  We  are  prone  to 
love  publicity.  We  find  it  easier  to  give  money,  to  enlist  our 
energies  in  behalf  of  benevolent  societies,  to  go  with  the  multi- 
tude to  the  house  of  God,  than  to  practise,  in  the  retirement  of 
home,  the  "  charity  which  sufFereth  long  and  is  kind,  which  en- 
vieth  not,  vaunteth  not  itself,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly, 
seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  think eth  no  evil, 
beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endur- 


12  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

eth  all  things,  and  never  faileth."     Can  we  not  learn,  while  we 
do  the  one,  not  to  leave  the  other  undone  ? 


Style  of  living.  —  Consistency.  —  Economy.  —  Neatness.  —  Habits  of  regular 
attention  to  family  concerns.  —  Perplexing  days.  —  Company.  — •  Arrange- 
ment of  family  work  for  a  week.  —  First  instructions  to  domestics. — • 
Patience.  —  Good  temper.  —  Observance  of  the  Golden  Rule.  —  Self-govern- 
ment when  accidents  happen.  —  Sunday  privileges. 

CONSIDER  in  the  outset  what  mode  of  living  best  befits 
your  station,  resources,  and  obligations  to  others ;  and  so  adjust 
your  plan  that  consistency*  and  appropriateness  shall  appear 
throughout.  It  is  much  better  to  adopt  a  style  of  expendi- 
ture below  your  means  than  above  them.  Of  the  unhappy 
effects  of  this  last  we  have  many  examples  in  our  country.  A 
very  little  advance  in  the  style  of  living,  creates  an  additional 
expense  greater  than  would  at  first  be  believed.  That  little 
' sentence,  "  / can  do  without  it"  has  saved  thousands  of  dollars 
for  future  exigencies.  Prodigality  is  as  fruitful  of  mischief  as 
Pandora's  box,  and  no  amount  of  wealth  can  justify  it.  Habits 
of  wasteful  expenditure  are  almost  always  accompanied  with 
selfishness  and  a  cold  heart  towards  the  claims  of  the  poor.  Be 
conscientious,  therefore,  in  the  practice  of  economy.  Family 
comfort  can  hardly  be  found  without  it.  Neatness  is  essential 
to  it ;  for  though  there  may  be  neatness  without  economy,  there 
cannot  be  economy  without  neatness. 

Accustom  yourself  to  take  good  care  of  every  thing  you  pos- 


*  The  writer  has  heard  of  more  than  one  lady  who  furnished  but  two 
dish-towels,  fearing  that  a  more  ample  supply  would  lead  to  waste  in  the 
use  of  them.  But  in  one  instance,  when  a  superb  dinner  was  given  to  a 
large  party,  the  cook  was  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  tearing  up  a  sheet  to 
wipe  the  dishes. 


COUNSELS    AND    SUGGESTIONS.  13 

sess.  The  best  managers  probably  have,  at  first,  a  few  disagree- 
able lessons  to  learn,  in  the  loss  of  things  forgotten  or  neglected 
for  want  of  experience  in  having  the  entire  care  of  a  family. 
But  it  is  to  be  hoped  there  are  not  many  who  lose  five  or  six 
hams  eaten  by  the  rats,  or  forty  yards  of  Russia  linen  laid  upon 
the  snow  to  whiten,  and  forgotten  till  reduced  to  a  pulp  fit  only 
for  the  paper-mill. 

Be  economical  without  parsimony,  liberal  without  waste,  and 
practise  the  best  methods  of  using  your  possessions  \vithout  hav- 
ing your  mind  wholly  absorbed  by  them. 

In  your  arrangements  for  the  table,  have  reference  to  the 
work  which  is  in  hand,  so  that  dishes  which  are  easily  cooked 
shall  be  provided  for  those  days  when  most  work  is  to  be  done. 
A  want  of  consideration  in  this  particular  often  provokes  ill 
temper,  and  may  even  occasion  the  loss  of  a  good  domestic. 
This  is  one  of  the  errors  which  those  are  liable  to  commit  who 
are  unaccustomed  to  household  labor.  Provide  a  variety  of 
food  ;  a  frugal  table,  with  frequent  change,  is  much  more  agree- 
able and  healthy  than  a  more  expensive  one,  where  nearly  the 
same  things  are  served  up  every  day. 

If  you  are  subject  to  uninvited  company,  and  your  means  do 
not  allow  you  to  set  before  your  guests  as  good  a  table  as  they 
keep  at  home,  do  not  distress  yourself  or  them  with  apologies. 
If  they  are  real  friends,  they  will  cheerfully  sit  down  with  you 
to  such  a  table  as  is  appropriate  to  your  circumstances,  and 
would  be  made  uncomfortable  by  an  effort  on  your  part  to  pro- 
vide a  better  one  than  you  can  afford.  If  your  resources  are 
ample,  live  in  such  a  way  that  an  unexpected  visitor  shall  occa- 
sion no  difference.  The  less  alteration  made  in  family  arrange- 
ments on  account  of  visitors,  the  happier  for  them  as  well  as  for 
you. 

Never  treat  the  subject  of  having  company  as  if  it  were  a 
great  affair.  Your  doing  this  will  excite  your  domestics,  and 
lead  them  to  imagine  the  addition  to  their  usual  work  much 
greater  than  it  is  ;  your  own  cares,  too,  will  be  greatly  mag- 
nified. A  calm  and  quiet  way  of  meeting  all  sorts  of  domestic 


14  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

vicissitudes,  and  of  doing  the  work  of  each  day,  be  it  more  or 
less,  equalizes  the  pressure  of  care,  and  prevents  its  becoming 
oppressive. 

Be  composed  when  accidents  happen  to  your  furniture. 
The  most  careful  hand  is  sometimes  unsteady.  Angry  words 
will  not  mend  broken  glass  or  china,  but  they  will  teach  your 
domestics  to  conceal  such  occurrences  from  you,  and  the 
only  explanation  ever  given  you  will  be,  that  they  came 
apart.  Encourage  those  whom  you  employ  to'  come  immediately 
and  tell  you,  when  they  have  been  so  unfortunate  as  to 
break  or  injure  any  thing  belonging  to  you.  The  cases  are 
very  rare,  in  which  it  is  best  to  deduct  the  value  from  their 
wages. 

In  the  best  regulated  families  there  will  be  some  laborious, 
perplexing  days.  Adverse  and  inconvenient  circumstances  will 
cluster  together.  At  those  times,  guard  against  two  thing*,  — 
discouragement  and  irritability.  If  others  look-  on  the  dark 
side,  find  something  cheering  to  say ;  if  they  fret,  sympathize 
in  their  share  of  the  trial,  while  you  set  them  the  example  of 
bearing  your  part  in  it  well. 

Miss  Hamilton's  three  maxims,  so  often  quoted,  are  worthy 
of  an  indelible  inscription  in  every  house  :  — 

"  Do  every  thing  in  its  proper  time. 

"  Keep  every  thing  to  its  proper  use. 

"  Put  every  thing  in  its  proper  place." 

She  should  have  added,  Do  every  thing  in  the  best  manner ; 
for  the  habit  of  aiming  at  a  perfect  standard,  is  not  only  of  the 
highest  importance  in  our  moral  interests,  but  also  proportion- 
ately so  in  reference  to  the  common  affairs  of  life. 

Accustom  yourself,  each  evening,  to  arrange  in  your  own 
mind  the  meals  for  the  next  day,  and  also  the  extra  work  to  be 
done  by  others,  and  what  you  will  do  yourself.  This  habit 
promotes  order  and  system,  and  gives  quietness  and  ease  to 
the  movement  of  the  whole  family  machinery.  When  you 
see  defects,  such  as  irregularity,  confusion,  waste,  or  want  of 
cleanliness  in  any  part  of  your  household  concerns,  consider 


COUNSELS    AND    SUGGESTIONS.  13 

what  is  the  best  remedy,  and  be  willing  to  attend  to  the  subject 
till  the  evil  is  cured. 

Visit  all  the  rooms  and  closets  that  are  in  constant  use,  every- 
day. You  will  thus  acquire  that  habit  of  attention  to  minutiae, 
upon  which  neatness  and  order  so  much  depend,  and  it  will 
cost  a  less  expenditure  of  time  and  effort  to  secure  these  ends, 
than  if  a  great  many  little  things  requiring  attention  are  suffered 
to  accumulate.  This  habit  will  also  have  the  best  effect  upon 
those  who  serve  you.  They  will  not  be  tempted  to  negligence 
or  waste,  by  the  idea  that  you  will  never  discover  it.  They 
will  anticipate  your  daily  inspection,  and  soon  find  themselves 
so  much  benefited  by  your  habits  of  system  and  order,  that 
their  own  convenience  will  dictate  obedience  to  your  directions 
and  suggestions.  Endeavor  so  to  perfect  your  plan,  that  when 
you  have  given  the  necessary  time,  be  it  longer  or  shorter,  to 
domestic  concerns  each  morning,  you  can  dismiss  them  from 
your  mind  and  attend  to  other  things,  giving  to  these  no  fur- 
ther thought,  except  that  which  results  from  a  habit  of  observing 
whatever  passes  in  the  family. 

When  a  new  domestic  enters  your  service,  observe  whether  she 
seems  to  understand  her  business  ;  if  not,  teach  her  your  meth- 
ods. Nothing  can  be  more  unreasonable  than  to  expect  a 
stranger  to  remember,  and  at  once  practise,  a  series  of  directions 
given  all  at  once,  and  perhaps  in  a  hurried  manner.  And  yet, 
this  is  an  injustice  of  which  many  a  girl  has  to  complain. 
What  wonder  if  mutual  dissatisfaction  and  a  speedy  separation  t 
is  the  result  ?  *  She  is  in  a  new  situation,  unacquainted  with 
the  various  parts  of  your  house,  and  the  arrangements  of  your 
family.  Therefore,  duty  and  self-interest  dictate,  that  you 
cheerfully  instruct  her,  so  far  as  is  necessary  ;  and  a  few  days' 
attention  to  her  manner  of  doing  her  work,  will  probably  be 
rewarded  by  a  much  more  skilful  and  willing  service,  than  if  no 
such  care  were  bestowed.  She  will  discover  that  you  are 

*  Probably  a  lady,  known  to  the  writer,  who  had  twenty-three  girls  in  the 
course  of  six  weeks,  pursued  this  inconsiderate  course. 


16  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

kindly  disposed,  ready  to  appreciate  her  efforts,  and  capable  of 
judging  when  her  work  is  well  done.  Confidence  is  thus  in- 
spired, and  she  will  be  far  more  likely  to  become  a  faithful  and 
permanent  member  of  your  household,  than  if  left  in  the  begin- 
ning to  pursue  her  own  course,  and  to  be  frowned  upon  if  she 
does  not  happen  to  please. 

Refrain  from  severity  and  too  much  frequency  in  finding 
fault,  and  be  careful  not  to  speak  to  domestics  of  their  errors  at 
a  time  when  they  are  perplexed  or  very  busy.  To  choose  a 
good  time,  is  as  necessary  to  success  as  to  avoid  needless  sever- 
ity. If  the  dinner  is  not  properly  done,  it  is  usually  best  to  say 
nothing  at  the  time  ;  your  cook  will  doubtless  be  conscious  of 
her  failure,  and  your  silence  will  have  a  much  better  effect  upon 
her  than  any  thing  you  can  then  say  ;  but  the  next  time  the 
same  articles  are  to  be  cooked,  remind  her  of  the  previous  fail- 
ure, point  out  the  defect,  and  give  her  minute  instructions  how 
to  avoid  its  repetition. 

Good  temper,  decision,  and  reasonable  requisitions  will  secure 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  your  domestics  ;  while  fretfulness, 
lack  of  good  judgment,  and  unreasonable  demands  will  alienate 
them  from  you,  and  involve  you  in  endless  perplexities.  Noth- 
ing gives  the  mistress  of  a  family  such  power  as  blended 
decision  and  gentleness ;  they  are  truly  irresistible.  You  need 
not,  you  must  not,  if  you  regard  the  best  welfare  of  your  house- 
hold, utter  one  impatient  word  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
the  year. 

Study  the  dispositions  of  those  whom  you  employ.  If  you 
keep  several  domestics,  arrange  their  work  so  that  there  shall 
be  as  little  collision  with  one  another,  as  possible.  Be  as  con- 
siderate of  their  comfort,  as  you  could  reasonably  wish  others 
to  be  of  yours  in  like  circumstances.  A  universal  obedience 
to  the  Golden  Rule  would  make  this  world  a  paradise,  and 
perhaps  it  is  more  liable  to  be  forgotten  in  this  relation  than 
in  most  others.  The  best  management  on  your  part,  cannot 
always  save  those  who  serve  you  from  weariness  and  vexation ; 
but  a  well-timed  word  of  kindness  and  sympathy  does  good  like 
a  medicine. 


COUNSELS    AND    SUGGESTIONS.  17 

Learn  so  to  systematize  your  concerns,  that  each  day  of  the 
week  shall  have  its  appropriate  work,  and  every  domestic  know, 
without  being  prompted,  what  she  is  to  do  on  that  day.  Ob- 
serve whether  all  do  their  appropriate  work  ;  but  do  not  prompt 
them,  unless  you  see  that  they  are  likely  to  forget.  They 
should  learn  to  feel  the  responsibility  to  be  on  their  own  mem- 
ory —  not  yours. 

In  the  morning,  soon  after  breakfast,  give  all  your  directions 
about  the  dinner,  and  tea,  and  specify  all  the  work  you  wish  to 
have  done  in  addition  to  the  regular  routine  of  the  day.  If  you 
think  of  any  thing  more  afterwards,  defer  it,  if  you  can,  till 
another  day  ;  nothing  disturbs  the  temper  of  domestics  more 
than  to  have  additional  work  assigned  them  after  the  business 
of  the  day  has  been  laid  out. 

The  two  following  modes  of  arranging  the  work  of  a  week, 
are  designed  for  families  whose  pecuniary  means  allow  an 
entirely  comfortable,  but  not  a  costly  mode  of  living ;  yet  they 
may  contain  useful  hints  for  those  whose  wealth  admits  of  the 
employment  of  a  number  of  domestics. 

On  Monday  have  the  house  swept  and  dusted,  the  clothes  for 
the  wash  collected,  and  such  articles  mended  as  should  be  before 
being  washed. 

On  Tuesday,  wash  ;  and  here  it  should  be  observed,  that 
those  persons  who  have  never  practised  washing,  are  often  un- 
reasonable in  their  requirements  on  this  day.  If  there  is  but 
one  domestic,  she  is  of  course  to  do  the  washing;  but,  unless 
the  family  is  small,  she  could  be  excused  from  doing  the  cook- 
ing or  other  ordinary  work  of  the  family. 

Every  one  acquainted  with  this  part  of  family  labor,  knows 
that  it  is  very  discouraging  to  be  obliged  to  leave  it  and  do  other 
things  ;  and  the  cleaning  which  must  be  done  after  the  clothes 
are  upon  the  line,  is  a  sufficient  occupation  for  the  remaining 
time  and  strength,  without  one's  being  obliged  to  do  any  por- 
tion of  the  daily  housework.  In  families  where  the  washings 
are  large,  it  is  better  to  delay  the  ironing  until  the  next  day 
but  one;  this  gives  time  for  doing  some  things  necessarily 


18  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

omitted  on  washing-day ;  for  baking,  if  the  size  of  the  family 
makes  it  necessary  to  bake  twice  a  week,  and  for  folding  the 
clothes  ;  and  the  girl  is  better  able  to  do  the  whole  ironing  in 
a  day,  than  if  she  were  to  perform  this  labor  immediately  after 
washing.  To  most  persons,  both  washing  and  ironing  are 
severe  labors,  and  therefore  should  not  be  assigned  to  suc- 
cessive days,  unless  the  domestic  herself  prefers  it,  which  is 
sometimes  the  case. 

Therefore,  on  Wednesday,  bake,  and  fold  the  clothes.  On 
TJmrsday,  iron.  On  Friday,  have  all  parts  of  the  house  that 
are  in  constant  use,  swept  and  dusted  again,  the  brasses  rubbed, 
and  if  there  are  windows  to  be  washed,  closets  or  sleeping  rooms 
to  be  scoured,  let  it  be  done  on  this  day. 

On  Saturday,  bake,  and  provide  such  a  supply  for  the  table 
a«  shall  supersede  the  necessity  of  cooking  on  Sunday. 

The  chief  advantage  of  this  method  is,  that  the  mistress  of 
the  family  has  not  the  Monday's  sweeping  to  do,  in  addition 
to  getting  the  washing-day  dinner ;  and  if  she  is  subject  to  in- 
cidental company,  and  has  not 'daughters  or  a  friend  to  help  her, 
or  has  slender  health,  this  is  an  important  relief. 

The  other  arrangement  is  to  wash  on  Monday  ;  bake,  and  do 
other  things  necessarily  omitted,  on  Tuesday  ;  iron  on  Wednes- 
day ;  Thursday,  do  no  extra  work.  Friday,  sweep  and  clean  ; 
Saturday,  bake  ;  distribute  clean  bed  linen,  and  see  that  every 
thing  is  in  readiness  for  the  Sabbath. 

The  practice  of  rubbing  all  the  silver  in  common  use  every 
week  is  not  necessary,  provided  it  is  always  washed  in  clean 
suds,  and  rinsed  in  scalding  soft  water  without  soap.  If  it  is 
washed  in  the  kitchen  with  other  dishes,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
rub  it  once  in  two  or  three  weeks. 

There  are  several  advantages  in  washing  on  Monday.  It 
is  then  easy  on  Saturday  to  provide  food  enough  to  last  until 
after  the  washing  is  done,  which  cannot  easily  be  accomplished 
if  it  is  delayed  until  Tuesday.  Another  is,  that  if  Monday  is  a 
pleasant  day,  the  clothes  may  be  dried,  and  the  ironing  and 
mending  completed  during  the  first  half  of  the  week ;  but  if 


COUNSELS    AND    SUGGESTIONS.  19 

Tuesday  be  the  washing-day,  and  it  is  rainy,  the  work  of  the 
whole  week  is  delayed.  Still  another  reason  is,  that  after  the 
entire  rest  of  Sunday  the  frame  is  invigorated  for  labor ;  and 
lastly,  it  gives  one  day  in  the  week  of  comparative  leisure  to 
the  domestic.  This  is  a  consideration  worthy  of  regard.  Some 
ladies  are  always  uneasy,  and  appear  to  think  themselves 
wronged,  when  they  see  their  domestics  quietly  seated  at  their 
sewing ;  as  if  they  could  not  render  faithful  service  without 
being  employed  the  whole  time  in  household  labor.  But  those 
persons  who  so  arrange  their  affairs  as  to  secure  to  their  domes- 
tics several  hours  every  week  for  their  own  employments,  and 
who  take  an  interest  in  promoting,  in  every  reasonable  way, 
their  comfort  and  happiness,  will  be  amply  rewarded  in  their 
faithfulness  and  attachment. 

The  situation  of  a  waiting-maid  is,  in  some  families,  one  of 
hard  bondage.  It  seems  as  if  her  employers  had  forgotten  that 
she  is  made  of  flesh  and  blood,  and  is  therefore  capable  of  hav- 
ing an  aching  head  and  weary  limbs.  She  must  run  at  the  call 
of  the  various  bells  throughout  the  house,  and  no  matter  how 
tired  she  becomes,  there  is  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  her  foot.  If 
the  unfortunate  being  is  a  homeless,  motherless  little  girl,  or  a 
friendless  foreigner,  so  much  the  worse.  By  a  little  considera- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  lady,  or  ladies,  of  a  family,  such  hard 
requisitions  might  be  avoided  without  any  real  sacrifice  of  com- 
fort. Our  happiness  is  promoted  by  the  cultivation  of  such 
habits  that  we  shall  not  need  the  constant  attendance  of  another 
to  save  us  from  exertion. 

If  your  domestics  cannot  read,  offer  to  teach  them,  and  devote 
several  half  hours  to  their  instruction  during  the  week,  and  an 
additional  hour  on  Sunday.  It  is  a  religious  duty,  a  part  of 
every  Christian's  mission.  Encourage  in  them  a  taste  for  read- 
ing, by  keeping  useful  and  entertaining  books  in  the  kitchen. 
A  love  of  rational  pleasure  will  thus  be  promoted,  and  the  effect 
be  every  way  beneficial. 

Let  the  least  possible  amount  of  labor  be  required  from  those 
who  serve  you,  on  Sunday.  This  ought  to  be  a  needless  injunc- 


20  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

tion  in  this  country;  but  many  a  professor  of  religion,  living  on 
the  soil  trodden  by  the  puritan  pilgrims,  provides  a  better  din- 
ner for  the  Sabbath  than  for  any  other  day.  Religion  forbids 
such  a  practice  ;  but,  aside  from  this  consideration,  family  com-, 
fort  is  essentially  promoted  by  quietness  and  freedom  from  care 
on  the  Lord's  day.  Domestics,  whatever  be  their  religious  pre- 
dilections, uniformly  regard  it  a  great  privilege  to  be  exempt 
from  cooking  on  that  day.  It  is  easy,  by  a  little  good  manage- 
ment, to  provide  a  dinner,  nice  enough  for  any  table  in  the  land, 
without  even  kindling  a  fire.  ( In  the  summer  this  is  done  in 
many  families;  and  in  the  winter,  when  a  fire  is  of  course 
always  burning,  a  cup  of  tea,  or  a  dish  of  vegetables,  can  be 
added  to  the  cold  articles  already  provided,  without  keeping 
any  one  from  church  for  the  purpose. 

In  concluding  these  suggestions,  the  writer  cannot  refrain 
from  adding  a  few  words  of  sympathy  and  encouragement  for 
those  who,  having  passed  their  youth  in  affluent  ease,  or  in  the 
clolights  of  study,  are  obliged,  by  the  vicissitudes  of  life,  to 
spend  their  time  and  strength  in  laborious  household  occupa- 
tions. There  are  many  such  instances  in  this  country,  particu- 
larly in  the  great  Western  Valley.  Adversity  succeeds  pros- 
perity like  a  sudden  inundation,  and  sweeps  away  the  possessions 
and  the  hopes  of  multitudes.  The  poor  and  uneducated  are 
often  rapidly  elevated  to  wealthy  independence,  while  the  re- 
fined and  highly  educated  are  compelled  to  taste  the  bitterness 
of  poverty ;  and  minds  capable  of  any  attainment,  and  that 
would  grace  any  station,  are  doomed  to  expend  their  energies 
in  devising  methods  for  the  hands  to  earn  a  scanty  livelihood. 

Let  not  such  persons  feel  themselves  degraded  by  the  per- 
formance of  the  humblest  domestic  labor. 

"  Some  kinds  of  baseness 
Are  nobly  undergone,  and  most  poor  matters 
Point  to  rich  ends." 

However  lowly  the  common  duties  of  life  may  be,  a  faithful 
and  cheerful  discharge  of  them  is  always  honorable,  and  God 
smiles  on  those  who  patiently  fulfil  them. 


OVENS,  AND  HOW  TO  HEAT  THEM.  21 


OVENS,    BREAD,    &c. 

Ovens  —  and  how  to  heat  them. 

Stoves  and  cooking-ranges  have  so  generally  taken  the  place 
of  brick  ovens,  that  the  following  directions,  which  were  ap- 
propriate when  this  book  was  first  published,  will  seldom  be  of 
use  now.  Yet,  as  they  may  sometimes  be  needed,  they  are  suf- 
fered to  remain.  It  is  impossible  to  give  minute  directions  as  to 
the  management  of  the  various  kinds  of  baking  apparatus  now 
in  use.  A  few  experiments  will  enable  a  person  of  good  judg- 
ment to  succeed  with  any  of  them. 

A  few  suggestions  in  regard  to  the  construction  of  an  oven 
may  be  useful.  For  a  family  of  medium  size,  an  oven  holding 
ten  or  twelve  plates  is  large  enough.  There  should  be  two  or 
three  bushels  of  ashes,  with  dead  coals  in  them,  poured  over  the 
top,  after  the  first  tier  of  bricks  which  forms  the  arch  is  laid. 
Then  the  usual  brickwork  should  be  laid  over  them.  The 
advantage  is  this,  —  when  the  oven  is  heated,  these  ashes  and 
coals  are  heated  also,  and,  being  so  thick,  retain  the  heat  a  long 
time.  Five  successive  bakings  have  been  done  in  such  an  oven 
with  one  heating ;  the  bread  first  —  then  the  puddings  —  after- 
ward pastry  —  then  cake  and  gingerbread  —  and  lastly  custards, 
which,  if  made  with  boiled  milk  and  put  into  the  oven  hot,  and 
allowed  to  stand  a  considerable  time,  will  bake  sufficiently  with 
a  very  slight  heat. 

The  first  time  an  oven  is  heated,  a  large  fire  should  be  kept 
burning  in  it  six  or  eight  hours.  Unless  this  is  done  it  will 
never  bake  well. 

The  size  and  structure  of  ovens  is  so  different,  that  no  precise 
rules  for  heating  them  can  be  given.  A  lady  should  attend  to 
this  herself,  until  she  perfectly  understands  what  is  necessary, 
and  can  give  minute  directions  to  those  she  employs.  It  is  easy 
to  find  out  how  many  sticks  of  a  given  size  are  necessary  for 
baking  articles  that  require  a  strong  heat ;  and  so  for  those 


22  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

which  are  baked  with  less.  To  bake  brown  bread,  beans,  ap- 
ples, and  other  things,  all  at  one  time,  the  oven  should  be  heated 
with  hard  wood,  and  if  rather  large,  so  as  to  be  two  hours  in 
burning  out,  it  is  better.  To  bake  thin  cake,  and  some  kinds  of 
puddings,  pine  wood,  split  small,  answers  very  well. 

After  the  wood  is  half  burnt,  stir  the  fire  equally  to  all  parts 
of  the  oven.  This  is  necessary  to  an  equal  diffusion  of  the  heat. 
Do  it  several  times  before  the  oven  is  cleared.  If  the  oven  is 
to  be  very  full,  put  in  a  brick,  so  that  you  can  have  it  hot,  to  set 
upon  it  any  pan  or  plate  for  which  there  may  not  be  room  on 
the  bottom.*  Be  careful  that  no  doors  or  windows  are  open 
near  the  oven.  Let  the  coals  remain  until  they  are  no  longer 
red.  They  should  not  look  dead,  but  like  hot  embers.  TThen 
you  take  them  out,  leave  in  the  back  part  a  few  to  be  put  near 
the  pans  that  require  most  heat,  such  as  beans,  Indian  pudding, 
or  jars  of  fruit.  Before  putting  in  the  things  to  be  baked,  throw 
in  a  little  flour.  If  it  browns  instantly,  the  oven  is  too  hot,  and 
should  stand  open  three  or  four  minutes.  If  it  browns  without 
burning  in  the  course  of  half  a  minute,  it  will  be  safe  to  set  in 
the  articles  immediately.  It  is  often  best  not  to  put  in  those 
things  which  require  a  moderate  heat,  till  those  which  need  a 
strong  heat  have  been  baking  ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 

A  coal  scuttle  of  peat,  with  less  wood,  is  economical,  and 
gives  an  equal  and  very  prolonged  heat.  Many  persons  use  it 
with  pine  wood,  for  their  ordinary  baking.  It  takes  a  longer 
time  to  burn  out  than  wood. 

It  is  well  to  kindle  the  fire  as  far  back  as  possible,  because  all 
parts  of  the  wood  are  much  sooner  on  fire  than  if  it  is  kindled 
near  the  mouth  of  the  oven ;  and  if  peat  is  used,  it  should  not 
be  thrown  in  until  the  wood  is  well  kindled. 

Directions  respecting  Bread. 

There   is  no  one  thing  upon  which  health  and  comfort  in  a 


*  The  pan  which  is  set  on  this  brick  may  need  a  paper  over  it  to  keep 
the  top  from  burning,  and  after  a  while  should  be  set  on  the  oven  bottom, 
and  another  put  on  the  brick. 


ON   YEAST.  23 

family  so  much  depend  as  bread.  With  good  bread  the  coarsest 
fare  is  tolerable ;  without  it,  the  most  luxurious  table  is  not  com- 
fortable. 

It  is  best  economy  to  purchase  the  lest  flour,  even  at  an  extra 
cost.  Good  flour  adheres  slightly  to  the  hand,  and  if  pressed  in 
it,  shows  the  impress  of  the  lines  of  the  skin.  Dough  made  of 
it  is  a  yellowish  white,  and  does  not  stick  to  the  hands  after  suf- 
ficient kneading.  There  is  much  bad  flour  in  market,  which  can 
in  no  way  be  made  into  nutritious  food. 

When  you  find  good  flour,  notice  the  Irand,  and  afterwards 
purchase  the  same  kind.  The  writer  knows  a  family  that  for 
eleven  years  purchased  flour  in  this  way,  without  once  having  a 
poor  barrel ;  then  the  mills  passed  to  another  owner,  and  though 
the  brand  was  the  same,  the  flour  was  good  no  more. 

If  you  raise  wheat,  or  buy  it  in  the  grain,  always  wash  it 
before  sending  it  to  the  mill.  Take  two  or  three  bushels  at  a 
time,  pour  in  water  and  stir  it,  and  then  pour  off  the  water. 
Repeat  this  till  the  water  is  clear.  Do  not  let  the  grain  stand 
in  the  water,  as  it  will  swell  and  be  injured ;  spread  it  on  a 
large  cloth  in  the  sun,  or  where  it  will  have  warmth  and  fr«h 
air,  and  stir  it  often,  and  in  a  day  or  two  it  will  be  dry.  The 
flour  is  much  improved  by  this  process. 

Newly  ground  flour  which  has  never  been  packed,  is  very 
superior  to  barrel  flour,  so  that  the  people  in  Western  New 
York,  that  land  of  finest  wheat,  say  that  New  England  people 
do  not  know  what  good  flour  is. 

Indian  meal,  also,  is  much  the  best  when  freshly  ground. 
The  meal  made  of  Southern  corn  is  often  injured  by  salt  water, 
or  dampness  acquired  in  the  hold  of  a  ship. 

-Rye  flour  is  very  apt  to  be  musty  or  grown.  There  is  no 
way  to  detect  this  but  by  trial.  It  is  well  to  engage  a  farmer  to 
supply  you  with  the  same  he  provides  for  his  own  family. 

On  Yeast. 

Good  yeast  is  indispensable  to  good  bread.  Many  of  the 
compounds  sold  for  yeast  are  unfit  for  use. 


24  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

The  best  kinds  are  dry  yeasty  soft  hop  yeast,  and  potato  yeast. 
The  hard  yeast  should  be  made  in  the  month  of  May,  or  early 
in  June,  for  summer  use,  and  in  September  or  October,  for  the 
winter.  This  kind  sometimes  loses  its  vitality  during  the  damp 
weather  of  August,  but  it  is  not  invariably  the  case.  Soft  hop, 
or  potato  yeast,  should  be  made  once  a  week  in  the  summer,  and 
once  in  two  weeks  in  the  winter.  No  soft  yeast  can  be  fit  for 
use,  if  kept  week  after  week ;  it  may  be  rectified  with  saleratus, 
but  the  bread  will  not  be  very  good. 

Every  housekeeper  should  make  sure,  by  her  own  personal 
attention,  that  the  yeast  is  properly  made,  and  the  jar  well 
scalded.  A  jar  having  a  close  cover  is  best.  Bottles  will  burst, 
and  you  cannot  be  perfectly  sure  that  a  jug  is  cleansed  from 
every  particle  of  old  yeast.  To  scald  the  jar,  put  it  into  a  ket- 
tle of  boiling  water.  This  must  be  done  every  time  you  make 
yeast.  Stone  ware  is  liable  to  be  cracked  by  the  pouring  of 
boiling  water  into  it. 

Soft  Hop  Yeast. 

To  three  pints  of  water  put  a  small  handful  of  hops,  or  if 
they  are  in  compact  pound  papers,  as  put  up  by  the  Shakers, 
half  a  handful ;  boil  them  about  half  an  hour.  If  the  water 
wastes,  add  more.  Put  into  the  jar  six  or  seven  table-spoonfuls 
of  flour,  and  a  leaspoonful  of  salt.  Set  it  near  the  kettle,  and 
dip  the  hop  tea,  as  it  boils,  into  the  jar  through  a  small  colander 
or  sieve.  When  you  have  strained  enough  of  the  tea  to  wet  all 
the  flour,  stir  it,  and  let  none  remain  dry  at  the  bottom  or  sides 
of  the  jar ;  then  strain  upon  it  the  remainder  of  the  hop-water, 
and  stir  it  well.  This  mixture  should  be  about  the  consistency 
of  batter  for  griddle-cakes.  The  reason  for  straining  the  hop- 
water  while  boiling  is,  that  if  the  flour  is  not  scalded,  the  yeast 
will  soon  become  sour. 

After  it  becomes  cool  (but  not  cold),  stir  in  a  gill  of  good 
yeast ;  set  it  in  a  slightly  warm  place,  and  not  closely  covered. 
Do  not  leave  an  iron  spoon  in  it,  as  it  will  turn  it  a  dark  color, 
and  make  it  unfit  for  use.  When  the  yeast  is  fermented,  put  it 
m  a  cool  place,  covered  close. 


DRY  YEAST POTATO  YEAST.  25 

Yeast  which  is  made  in  part  of  Graham  flour  rises  light 
sooner  than  that  which  is  made  of  white  flour  alone,  and  does 
not  affect  the  color  of  the  bread. 

When  yeast  has  a  strong  tart  smell,  and  a  watery  appearance 
on  the  surface,  it  is  too  old  for  use. 

Dry  Yeast. 

I  Put  four  ounces  of  hops  to  six  quarts  of  water ;  boil  it  away 
to  three  quarts.  Strain,  boiling  hot  (as  directed  for  the  Soft 
yeast)  upon  three  pints  of  flour,  a  large  spoonful  of  ginger,  and 
another  of  salt.  When  it  is  cool,  add  a  pint  of  sweet  yeast. 
When  it  is  foaming  light,  knead  in  sifted  Indian  meal  enough  to 
make  it  very  stiff.  Mould  it  into  loaves,  and  cut  in  thin  slices^ 
and  lay  it  upon  clean  boards.  Set  it  where  there  is  a  free  cir- 
culation of  air,  in  the  sun.  After  one  side  has  dried  so  as  to  be 
a  little  crisped,  turn  the  slices  over ;  and  when  both  sides  are 
dry,  break  them  up  into  small  pieces.  It  thus  dries  sooner  than 
if  not  broken.  Set  it  in  the  sun  two  or  three  days  in  succes- 
sion. Stir  it  often  with  your  hand,  so  that  all  parts  will  be 
equally  exposed  to  the  air.  When  perfectly  dry,  put  it  into  a 
coarse  bag,  and  hang  it  in  a  dry  and  cool  place.  The  greatest 
inconvenience  in  making  this  yeast  is  the  danger  of  cloudy  or 
wet  weather.  If  the  day  after  it  is  made  should  not  be  fair,  it 
will  do  to  set  the  jar  in  a  cool  place,  and  wait  a  day  or  two  be- 
fore putting  in  the  Indian  meal.  But  the  best  yeast  is  made 
when  the  weather  continues  clear  and  dry  ;  and  if  a  little  windy, 
so  much  the  better. 

To  use  it,  take,  for  five  loaves  of  bread,  one  handful ;  soak  it 
in  a  very  little  water  till  soft,  which  will  be  in  a  few  minutes  ; 
stir  it  into  the  sponge  prepared  for  the  bread.  This  yeast  makes 
less  delicate  bread  than  the  soft  kind,  but  it  is  very  convenient. 

Maine  Potato  Yeast. 

Pare,  and  cut  in  several  pieces,  three  large  Jackson  White 
potatoes.  Remove  all  dark  specks.  Boil  in  a  quart  of  water. 
Keep  a  nice  porcelain-lined  or  tin  sauce-pan  for  this  purpose. 
When  the  potatoes  are  soft,  put  them  into  a  pitcher  that  will 


26  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

contain  three  pints.  Then  add  to  the  water  in  which  they 
were  boiled  a  small  pinch  of  hops,  and  boil  ten  minutes.  (If 
you  take  too  many  hops,  the  water  will  be  of  a  dark  color ; 
whereas  it  should  be  but  slightly  colored.)  Meanwhile,  mash 
the  boiled  potatoes  smooth  with  a  silver  spoon.  (An  iron 
spoon  would  black  them.)  Next  stir  in  half  a  cup  of  flour, 
and  then  the  same  of  white  sugar,  and  a  tablespoonful  of 
salt.  Put  the  pitcher  on  the  stove-hearth,  and  set  a  fine 
strainer  in  the  top  of  it.  Dip  the  hop-water  as  it  boils  upon 
the  potato.  When  you  have  poured  in  one  or  two  dipperfuls, 
stir  till  the  flour  is  smooth ;  then  add  the  rest  of  the  hop- 
water.  It  boils  away  more  at  some  times  than  at  others; 
and,  should  the  mixture  seem  thick,  pour  in  a  few  spoonfuls 
of  boiling  water,  —  enough  to  make  it  like  a  very  thin  batter. 

Set  away  to  cool ;  and  when  warm  to  your  finger,  but  not 
hot,  add  half  a  cup  of  lively  yeast,  and  put  the  pitcher  in  a 
warm  place.  The  yeast  will  rise  rapidly.  When  it  begins  to 
foam,  stir  once  or  twice.  This  will  make  it  still  lighter. 

One  cup  will  raise  a  sponge  for  five  or  six  loaves.  Keep 
the  pitcher  in  a  cool  place,  covered  with  a  saucer.  Never  put 
it  into  a  bottle  or  jug.  In  warm  weather,  your  refrigerator  is 
the  best  place.  It  will  keep  sweet  two  or  three  weeks.  Al- 
ways reserve  a  half  or  whole  cup  to  raise  your  yeast  the  nexC 
time.  Make  double  the  quantity  if  you  have  a  large  family. 

A  sponge  set  early  in  the  morning  with  this  yeast  will,  in 
warm  weather,  be  ready  to  knead  in  two  or  three  hours,  and 
the  bread  light  enough  to  bake  before  noon. 

This  has,  for  many  years,  proved  a  never-failing  rule. 

Potato  Bread. 

Boil  four  large,  white  potatoes  (pared)  in  two  quarts  of 
water.  When  soft,  take  them  from  the  water,  and  ^  mash 
smooth  in  a  bread-pan  ;  add  salt  and  a  large  tablespoonful  of 
beef-shortening  or  butter.  Then  stir  in  the  water  in  which 
the  potatoes  were  boiled,  a  cup  of  potato-yeast,  and  flour 


FAMILY   BREAD.  27 

enough  to  make  a  stiff  batter.  Let  it  stand  over  night.  In 
the  morning,  knead  it  smooth.  It  will  require  more  kneading 
than  bread  made  with  milk.  Mould  into  rather  thin  loaves, 
as  it  rises  very  light.  In  warm  weather,  it  will  soon  be  ready 
for  the  oven.  Bread  made  by  this  rule  is  excellent,  as  well 
as  economical. 

Good  Family  Bread. 

For  five  common-sized  loaves,  make  a  pint  and  a  half  of  thin 
water  gruel.  Use  half  a  teacupful  of  fine  Indian  meal.  Salt 
It  a  little  more  than  if  it  were  to  be  eaten  as  gruel,  and  boil 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  This  is  of  importance,  as,  if  the  meal  is 
only  scalded,  the  bread  will  be  coarse.  Add  enough  milk  to 
make  two  quarts  of  the  whole.  If  the  milk  is  new,  the  gruel 
may  be  poured  into  it  in  the  pan ;  if  not,  it  should  be  scalded  in 
the  kettle  with  the  gruel.  This  is  particularly  important  in  the 
summer,  as  at  that  season  milk  which  is  but  a  few  hours  old,  and 
is  sweet  \rhen  put  into  the  bread,  will  sour  in  the  dough  in  a 
short  time.  When  the  mixture  is  cool,  so  that  you  are  sure  it 
will  not  scald,  add  a  teacupful  of  yeast,  and  then  stir  in  sifted 
flour  *  enough  to  make  a  thick  batter.  This  is  called  a  sponge. 
This  being  clone  in  the  evening,  let  it  stand,  if  in  summer,  in  a 
cool  place,  if  in  winter,  in  a  moderately  warm  place,  till  morn- 
ing. Then  add  flour  enough  to  make  it  easy  to  mould,  and 
knead  it  very  thoroughly. 

This  process  of  kneading  is  very  important  in  making  bread, 
and  there  are  but  few  domestics  whom  it  is  not  necessary  to  in- 
struct how  to  do  it.  They  generally  work  over  the  dough  with- 
out expending  any  strength  upon  it.  The  hands  should  be 
closely  shut,  and  the  fists  pressed  hard  and  quickly  upon  the 
dough,  dipping  them  into  flour  whenever  the  dough  sticks  to 
them.  A  half  an  hour  is  the  least  time  to  be  given  to  kneading 
a  baking  of  bread,  unless  you  prefer,  after  having  done  this  till 


*  All  kinds  of  flour  and  meal  should  be  sifted  for  use,  except  buckwheat 
and  Graham  flour- 


28  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

it  ceases  to  stick  to  your  hands,  to  chop  it  with  a  chopping-knife 
four  or  five  hundred  strokes.  An  hour's  kneading  is  not  too 
much. 

All  this  looks  on  paper  like  a  long  and  troublesome  process  ; 
but  I  venture  to  say  that  no  lady,  after  having  learned  the  ben- 
efit of  it,  will  be  willing  to  diminish  any  portion  of  the  labor  and 
attention  necessary  to  secure  such  bread  as  these  directions,  ob- 
served, will  make.  Practice  will  make  it  easy,  and  no  woman 
of  sense  will  hesitate  in  choosing  between  sour,  tough,  ill-baked 
bread,  with  heaps  of  wasted  pieces,  a  dyspeptic  husband,  and 
sickly  children  on  the  one  hand,  and  comfort,  economy,  and 
health  on  the  other. 

But  to  return  to  the  bread.  After  it  is  thoroughly  kneaded, 
divide  it  into  four  or  five  equal  pieces,  and  mould  according  to 
the  form  of  the  pans  in  which  you  bake  it.  These  being 
greased  with  clean  drippings,  put  in  the  dough  and  set  it  in  the 
sun  or  near  the  fire  (according  to  the  season)  to  rise.  Loaves 
of  this  size  will  bake  in  an  hour  ;  if  the  oven  be  rather  hot,  in  a 
few  minutes  short  of  an  hour.  Practice  and  good  judgment 
must  direct  these  things.  If  the  bread  rises  rather  slowly,  take 
a  dish  of  warm  water  and  wet  the  top  with  your  hand. 

When  the  loaves  are  baked,  do  not  lay  them  flat  upon  the 
table  ;  good  housewives  think  it  makes  them  heavy.  Set  them 
on  the  side,  one  against  another,  and  put  a  coarse  cloth  closely 
over  them;  this  makes  the  crust  tender  by  keeping  in  the 
steam.  If  bread  is  baked  too  hard,  wring  a  towel  in  cold  water 
and  wrap  around  it  while  it  is  yet  hot.  Care  is  necessary  that 
bread  does  not  rise  too  much,  and  thus  become  sour,  especially 
in  warm  weather  ;  and  even  .if  it  does  not,  the  freshness  is  lost, 
and  an  insipid  taste  is  produced,  and  it  becomes  dry  sooner  by 
long  rising.  No  exact  rule  can  be  given ;  experience  and  ob- 
servation must  teach.  When  dough  becomes  so  light  as  to  run 
over  after  being  moulded  and  put  into  pans,  it  is  best  to  mould 
it  again,  kneading  it  hard  two  or  three  minutes,  but  using  as 
little  flour  as  possible  ;  then  lay  it  back  into  the  pans,  and  put  it 
immediately  into  the  oven  ;  this  prevents  its  being  tasteless  and 


FAMILY  BREAD.  29 

dry  ;  it  will  be  perfectly  light,  but  of  a  different  sort,  and  much 
preferred  by  some  persons. 

Some  people  invariably  use  saleratus  in  bread,  and  there  are 
tables  where  the  effluvia  of  this  article,  and  the  deep  yellow 
color  of  the  bread,  offend  the  senses  before  it  is  tasted.  If  all 
the  materials  used  are  good,  and  the  dough  has  not  been  per- 
mitted to  sour,  white  bread  except  that  which  is  made  with  wa- 
ter, is  far  better  without  saleratus.  If  dough  has  become  sour,  a 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus  for  every  quart  of  the  milk  or  water 
that  was  used  for  wetting  the  bread,  will  be  sufficient  to  correct 
it.  The  tray  or  pan  in  which  the  bread  is  made,  should  be 
scalded  after  being  washed,  every  time  it  is  used,  except  in  cold 
weather.  It  is  not  good  economy  to  buy  skimmed  milk,  as 
some  persons  do,  for  making  bread.  It  renders  it  tough  and 
indigestible,  if  used  in  the  ordinary  way.  In  case  it  is  used  for 
this  purpose,  it  should  be  boiled,  and  thickened  with  a  little 
Indian  meal  in  the  same  way,  and  the  same  proportions  as 
directed  for  making  gruel,  in  the  receipt  for  Good  Family  Bread. 
Use  no  water  with  it. 

Bread  made  without  a  Sponge. 

In  cool  weather  the  milk  should  be  warmed.  A  little  more 
yeast  is  necessary  than  for  sponge-bread,  and  it  should  be  made 
up  over  night.  When  it  is  light,  knead  and  mould  it,  and  raise 
it  again  in  the  pans  in  which  it  is  to  be  baked. 

If  brewer's  yeast  is  used,  a  table-spoonful  is  enough  for  every 
quart  of  wetting,  and  it  should  not  stand  over  night,  as  it  rises 
very  quickly. 

Bread  made  with  Milk  and  Water. 

Boil  a  quart  of  milk ;  add  to  it  a  pint  of  cold  water  and  a 
little  salt,  and,  when  cool  enough,  stir  in  a  small  cup  of  pota- 
to-yeast, and  flour  enough  to  make  a  light  sponge.  When' 
light,  knead  it. 

All  these  various  sponges  are  very  nice  baked  on  a  griddle 
like  buckwheat-cakes,  or  poured  into  iron  drop-cake  pans, 


30  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEEER'S    FRIEND. 

and  baked  in  the  cooking-stove ;  and,  better  still,  baked  in 
inuffin-rings. 

Rice  Bread, 

Allow  half  a  pint  of  ground  rice  to  a  quart  of  milk,  or  milk 
and  water ;  put  the  milk  and  water  over  the  fire  to  boil,  reserv* 
ing  enough  to  wet  the  rice.  Stir  out  the  lumps,  add  a  large 
teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  when  the  milk  and  water  boil,  stir  in  the 
rice,  exactly  as  when  you  make  gruel.  Boil  it  up  two  or  three 
minutes,  stirring  it  repeatedly  ;  then  pour  it  out  into  your 
bread-pan,  and  immediately  stir  in  as  much  flour  as  you  can 
with  a  spoon.  After  it  is  cool  enough  (and  of  this  be  very 
sure,  as  scalding  the  yeast  will  make  heavy,  sour  bread,  full  of 
great  holes),  add  a  gill  of  yeast,  and  let  it  stand  until  morning. 
Then  knead  in  more  flour  until  the  dough  ceases  to  stick  to  the 
hands.  It  is  necessary  to  make  this  kind  of  bread  a  little  stiffer 
than  that  in  which  no  rice  is  used,  else  there  will  be  a  heavy 
streak  through  the  loaf.  It  is  elegant  bread,  keeps  moist  sev- 
eral days,  and  is  particularly  good  toasted. 

Third  Bread. 

Take  equal  parts  of  white  flour,  rye  flour,  and  Indian  meal 
It  is  good  made  with  water,  but  made  with  milk  is  much  better. 
Add  salt  and  a  gill  of  yeast  to  a  quart  of  water  or  milk.  It 
should  not  be  made  so  stiff  as  to  mould,  but  as  thick  as  you 
can  stir  it  with  your  hand,  or  a  large  spoon.  Like  all  other 
bread  it  should  be  thoroughly  worked  together.  Bake  in  deep 
pans. 

Graham  Bread. 

Make  a  sponge  at  night  of  one  pint  of  warm  water,  two 
cups  of  white  flour,  half  a  cup  of  yeast,  and  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful of  salt.  In  the  morning,  when  light,  add  half  a  cup  of 
Indian  meal,  the  same  of  nice  brown  or  white  sugar,  and  an 
even  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  dissolved  in  a  spoonful  or  two  of 
boiling  water.  Scatter  in  gradually  as  much  Graham  flour 


«C    <' 

/ 


J? 


' 


>    '  *  ^ 


^  ^ 


<<^  •  ^ 

^ 


BROWN   BREAD.  31 

as  you  can  stir,  and  then  put  the  dough  into  the  pan.  Let 
it  rise  till  very  light.  This  rule  will  make  one  good-sized 
loaf.  It  is  not  best  to  make  much  Graham  bread  at  once  in 
a  small  family,  as  it  is  not  so  good  when  stale,  and  cannot, 
like  white  bread,  be  made  into  puddings  when  dry.  In  mak- 
ing the  sponge,  you  can  take  part  milk,  if  you  prefer,  and 
less  white  flour,  so  as  to  have  more  Graham  flour  in  the 
bread.  Some  persons  prefer  molasses  to  sugar  ;  but  the 
bread  is  rather  more  delicate  if  sugar  is  used.  If  you  use 
potato-yeast,  the  rule  for  which  is  given  in  this  book,  you  can 
set  the  sponge  in  the  morning,  in  warm  weather,  and  the 
bread  will  be  ready  for  the  oven  in  a  few  hours. 

Raised  Brown  Bread. 

Stir  into  a  pint  of  warm  water  one  cup  of  white  flour,  two 
of  rye  meal,  and  two  of  Indian  meal,  one  of  molasses,  a 
small  cup  of  good  yeast,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a  small 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus.  Pour  it  into  a  tin  pudding-pan  or 
pail.  Let  it  rise  three  hours.  Then  set  it  into  a  kettle  of 
boiling  water,  and  steam  four  hours.  Some  people  like  to 
add  a  cup  of  chopped  raisins. 

Boston  Brown  Bread,  to  be  baked  in  a  Brick  Oven. 

Take  a  quart  of  rye  meal,  and  the  same  of  fine  Indian  meal. 
(If  this  is  bitter,  scald  it  before  mixing  it  with  the  rye.  If  it  is 
sweet  and  fresh,  almost  every  thing  in  which  it  is  used  is 
lighter  without  its  being  scalded.)  Mix  with  warm  water,  a 
gill  of  molasses,  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  a  large  teaspoonful  of 
salt,  and  half  a  gill  of  yeast.  Such  bread  is  improved  by  the 
addition  of  a  gill  of  boiled  pumpkin  or  winter  squash.  Make  it 
stiff  as  can  easily  be  stirred.  Grease  a  deep,  brown  pan, 
thickly,  and  put  the  bread  in  it,  and  dip  your  hand  in  water  and 
smooth  over  the  top.  This  will  rise  faster  than  other  bread, 
and  should  not  be  made  over  night  in  the  summer.  If  put  into 
the  oven  in  the  forenoon,  it  will  be  ready  for  the  tea-table.  If 
in  the  afternoon,  let  it  stand  in  the  oven  till  morning.  This 
may  be  steamed,  as  directed  in  the  next  receipt. 


YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 


Steamed  Brown  Bread. 

For  a  very  small  family,  take  half  a  pint  of  rye  meal,  not 
sifted,  and  a  pint  of  sifted  Indian  meal,  a  pint  of  sour  milk,  a> 
half  a  gill  of  molasses,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a  large  tea- 
spoonful  of  saleratus.  Mix  all  the  ingredients  except  the  sal- 
eratus,  dissolve  that  (as  it  should  always  be)  in  a  little  boiling 
water,  and  add  it,  stirring  the  mixture  well.  Grease  a  tin 
pudding  pan,  or  a  pail  having  a  close  lid,  and  having  put  the 
bread  in  it,  set  it  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  The  bread 
should  not  quite  fill  the  pail,  as  it  must  have  room  to  swell. 
See  that  the  water  does  not  boil  up  to  the  top  of  the  pail,  and 
also  take  care  it  does  not  boil  entirely  away.  The  bread  should 
be  cooked  at  least  four  hours.  To  serve  it,  remove  the  lid,  and 
set  it  a  few  minutes  into  the  stove  oven,  without  the  lid,  to  dry 
the  top  ;  then  it  will  turn  out  in  perfect  shape. 

If  used  as  a  pudding,  those  who  have  cream,  can  make  an 
excellent  sauce  for  it  of  thick  sour  cream,  by  stirring  into  it 
plenty  of  sugar,  and  adding  nutmeg.  This  bread  is  improved 
by  being  made,  and  put  into  the  pan  or  pail  in  which  it  is  to  be 
boiled,  two  or  three  hours  before  it  is  set  into  the  kettle.  It  is 
good  toasted  the  next  day. 

Indian  Loaf. 

To  one  quart  of  sweet  milk,  put  a  gill  of  molasses,  a  teaspoon- 
ful of  saleratus,  a  heaping  pint  of  Indian  meal,  a  gill  of  flour, 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Stir  it  well  together,  put  it  into  a 
deep  brown  pan,  and  bake  in  a  brick  oven.  It  should  be 
stirred  the  last  thing  before  being  set  into  the  oven.  It  must 
be  in  the  oven  many  hours,  at  least  eight  or  nine,  if  it  is  a  brick 
oven,  and  if  set  in  towards  night  should  stand  till  morning.  If 
it  is  baked  in  a  range,  it  will  require  five  or  six  hours  of  moder- 
ate heat. 

Rye  Bread. 

Take  a  pint  of  water,  and  a  large  spoonful  of  fine  Indian 
meal,  and  make  it  into  gruel.  Add  a  pint  of  milk,  and  when 


TO   MAKE   STALE   BREAD   FRESH. 

cool  enough,  a  small  gill  of  yeast,  and  then  the  flour.  Fine, 
bolted  rye  flour  is  necessary  to  make  this  bread  good.  Knead 
it  about  as  stiff'  as  white  bread.  Let  it  rise  over  night,  and 
then  mould  and  put  into  three  pans  to  rise  again.  When  light, 
bake  it  about  an  hour.  Rye  is  very  adhesive,  and  a  young 
cook  will  be  troubled  with  its  sticking  to  her  fingers,  but  prac- 
tice will  make  it  easy  to  manage  it. 

To  make  Stale  Bread,  or  Cake,  Fresh. 

Plunge  the  loaf  one  instant  in  cold  water,  and  lay  it  upon  a 
tin  in  the  stove  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  It  will  be  like  new 
bread  without  its  deleterious  qualities.  Stale  cake  is  thus  made 
nice  as  new  cake.  But  bread  or  cake  heated  over  thus,  should 
be  used  immediately. 

Various  convenient  Uses  of  Bread  Dough. 

In  the  winter,  dough  may  be  kept  sweet  many  days  in  a 
place  where  it  will  be  cold,  without  freezing,  and  it  will  grow 
better  till  the  last.  It  should  be  raised  light,  then  kneaded 
a  little,  and  then  covered  with  a  damp  cloth,  so  that  a  dry  crust 
will  not  form  on  the  top.  Fresh  bread  can  thus  be  furnished 
for  the  table  every  day,  without  extra  work.  Doughnuts, 
bread-cake,  or  rusks  can  be  made  of  it  by  adding  butter,  sugar, 
and  spice ;  tea  biscuit  also,  fried  biscuit,  crust  for  apple  dump- 
ling, and  for  pan  pie.  See  the  receipts  for  these  articles. 

The  dough  should  be  made,  at  least  in  part,  with  milk,  when 
it  is  to  be  used  for  these  purposes. 

These  directions  are  particularly  recommended  to  persons 
who  do  their  own  house-work,  and  of  course  wish  to  save  tune 
and  labor,  as  much  as  possible. 


34  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 


BISCUITS,    TEA.    C^KES, 
CA.KES,    <Sco. 

Raised  Biscuit. 

Take  a  pint  bowl  full  of  light  dough  ;  break  into  it  a  fresh 
egg,  and  add  a  piece  of  butter  the  size  of  ah  egg.  Knead  in 
these  until  perfectly  incorporated  with  the  dough.  It  will 
require  about  ten  minutes.  Boll  it  out  about  an  inch  thick ; 
cut  it  into  biscuit.  Lay  them  upon  a  tin  sheet,  or  upon  a 
roll  pan,  and  let  them  rise  in  a  moderately  warm  place.  They 
will  become  very  light,  and  should  be  baked  in  a  quick  stove, 
baker,  or  oven.  They  will  bake  in  twelve  or  fifteen  minutes, 
and  are  injured  by  being  baked  very  slowly.  Very  nice  eaten 
fresh,  but  not  hot.  This  measure  will  make  about  two  dozen. 
They  are  not  so  good  the  next  day  as  biscuit  made  without  an 
egg. 

Butter-Milk  or  Sour-Milk  Biscuit. 

Take  a  pint  of  buttermilk  or  sour  milk,  and  a  quart  of 
flour.  Hub  into  the  flour  a  piece  of  butter  half  the  size  of  an 
egg.  Add  a  little  salt,  and  stir  the  milk  into  the  flour.  Dis- 
solve a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  in  a  very  little  hot  water,  and 
stir  into  it  with  a  knife,  till  well  mixed. 

Add  flour  enough  barely  to  mould  it  smooth  ;  roll  it  out  upon 
the  board,  and  cut  out  and  bake  exactly  like  the  tea  biscuit. 
The  advantage  of  putting  in  the  saleratus  after  the  dough  is 
partly  mixed  is,  that  the  foaming  process  occasioned  by  com- 
bining the  sour  milk  and  alkali  raises  the  whole  mass ;  where- 
as, if  it  is  stirred  first  into  the  milk,  much  of  the  efferves- 
cence is  lost  before  it  is  added  to  the  flour.  Bake  in  a  quick 
oven. 

Cream  Biscuit. 

These  are  to  be  made  in  the  same  manner  as  the  butter- 
milk biscuit,  except  that  no  butter  is  required  :  the  cream  will 
make  them  sufficiently  short. 


POTATO   BISCUIT.  —  CREAM-OF- TARTAR   BISCUIT,   ETC.        35 

Potato  Biscuit. 

Boil  four  good  potatoes  (pared)  in  a  quart  of  water. 
When  very  soft,  mash  them  in  the  water,  and  stir  in  a  little 
salt,  a  large  spoonful  of  butter,  and  flour  to  make  a  stiff  bat- 
ter. Add  a  small  cup  of  potato  yeast.  Let  it  rise  over  night  : 
in  the  morning  knead  in  flour  till  it  is  smooth,  and  make  it 
into  biscuit.  If  you  wish  them  for  breakfast,  set  them  where 
they  will  be  a  little  warm.  They  will  rise  very  soon.  If  to 
be  kept  for  tea,  set  them  in  the  refrigerator  (or,  if  it  is  winter, 
in  a  cold  place),  and,  before  tea-time,  set  them  for  an  hour  in 
a  warm  place.  An  oval  biscuit-cutter  makes  a  pretty  variety. 
To  make  the  crust  tender,  wrap  a  damp  cloth  around  it  when 
first  baked,  with  a  dry  cloth  outside. 

Cream-of-Tartar  Biscuit. 

Rub  a  piece  of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg  into  a  quart  of 
flour  till  there  are  no  little  lumps.  Then  add  a  teaspoonful 
of  salt,  and  scatter  in  two  heaping  teaspoonfuls  of  cream-of- 
tartar.  Have  ready  a  pint  of  cold  water  in  which  a  heaping 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus  or  soda  has  been  dissolved :  pour  it 
into  the  flour,  stirring  it  quickly  with  a  knife.  Do  this 
several  minutes,  that  the  ingredients  may  become  well  mixed ; 
then  add  flour  enough  to  enable  you  to  mould  it  smooth.  Roll 
it  out  the  same  thickness  as  tea  biscuit.  If  these  are  made 
right,  they  are  as  light  as  foam.  They  may  be  made  of  un- 
bolted flour,  if  preferred.  Make  half  the  measure  for  a  small 
family. 

Strawberry  Short  Cake. 

Make  cream-of-tartar  biscuit  dough  a  little  shorter  than 
usual ;  roll  it  rather  thin,  and  lay  it  in  the  pans  in  sheets. 
Bake  rather  quick.  Take  fresh  strawberries  or  raspberries, 
and  stir  sugar  into  them.  Open  the  cake  lengthwise  while 
Lot,  and  butter  both  parts ;  then  put  on  a  layer  of  the  fruit, 


36  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

and  replace  the  upper  half  of  the  short  cake.     To  be  set  on 
the  table  uncut,  and  eaten  hot. 

Use  butter-milk  or  rich  sour  milk  for  this  cake,  if  conve- 
nient ;  but,  in  that  case,  omit  the  cream-of-tartar. 

/ 

Jenny  Lind. 

Take  one  egg,  one  teacup  of  sugar,  one  of  sweet  milk,  two 
and  a  half  of  flour,  a  dessert-spoonful  of  butter,  two  teaspoon- 
fuls  of  cream-of-tartar,  one  of  saleratus,  and  a  very  little  salt. 
To  mix  it,  stir  the  cream-of-tartar,  sugar,  and  salt  into  the 
flour,  then  the  milk ;  add  the  egg  without  beating ;  dissolve  the 
saleratus ;  and  melt  the  butter  in  a  spoonful  of  hot  water ; 
then  stir  all  together  a  few  minutes.  Bake  in  fifteen  min- 
utes, in  two  pans  about  the  size  of  a  breakfast-plate.  If  you 
prefer,  make  it  with  sour  milk,  and  omit  the  cream-of-tartar. 

With  the  addition  of  one  egg,  a  little  more  butter,  half 
a  cup  of  sugar,  and  some  spice,  this  is  a  nice  cake  for  the  bas- 
ket, and  is  convenient  because  so  quickly  made. 

Sally  Lunn. 

A  quart  of  flour,  a  piece  of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg,  three 
table  spoonfuls  of  sugar,  two  eggs,  two  teacups  of  milk,  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  cream-of-tartar,  one  of  saleratus,  and  a  little 
salt. 

Scatter  the  cream-of-tartar,  the  salt, "and  the  sugar  into  the 
flour ;  add  the  eggs,  the  butter  melted,  and  one  cup  of  the 
milk;  dissolve  the  saleratus  in  the  remaining  cup,  and  stir 
all  together  steadily  a  few  minutes.  Bake  in  two  round  pans. 

Whortleberry  Cake. 

Make  it  like  the  Sally  Lunn ;  but  add,  the  last  thing  be- 
fore putting  it  into  the  pans,  a  cup  and  a  half  of  berries. 
Bake  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour. 

Busk,  or  Buns. 

To  a  pint  bowl  of  light  dough  add  a  cup  of  sugar,  half  as 


NORWICH   BUNS.  —  SPANISH   FRITTERS.  37 

much  butter,  and  either  a  little  cinnamon,  allspice,  or  lemon. 
Work  these  ingredients  together,  and  then  add  flour  enough 
to  enable  you  to  mould  it  smooth  and  roll  it  out.  Let  it  be 
about  an  inch  thick ;  cut  it  into  biscuit,  and  lay  them  into  a 
baking-pan  to  rise.  They  should  become  very  light  before 
being  baked ;  and  therefore,  in  cold  weather,  it  is  well  to  let 
the  dough  stand,  after  the  ingredients  are  added,  until  the 
next  day ;  then  roll  out  the  biscuit,  and  raise*  them  in  the 
bake-pan.  Their  appearance  is  improved  by  wetting  the  top 
with  a  mixture  of  sugar  and  milk  when  they  are  nearly 
baked ;  then  return  them  to  the  oven  for  a  short  time.  They 
require  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  to  bake. 

A  double  measure  may  be  made  in  cold  weather,  and  when 
light  be  set  in  a  cool  place,  but  where  it  will  not  freeze  ;  and 
a  pan  be  baked  whenever  needed.  Each  day  it  will  be  bet- 
ter than  the  previous  one. 

Norwich  Buns. 

To  one  tumbler  of  milk  put  half  a  gill  of  yeast,  three  eggs, 
one  coffee-cup  of  sugar,  two  ounces  of  butter,  and  one  small 
nutmeg.  Beat  the  sugar  and  eggs  together ;  rub  the  butter 
into  the  flour,  of  which  use  enough  to  enable  you  just  to  mould 
it.  Let  it  rise  over  night ;  and,  when  very  light,  roll  out,  and 
put  it  on  tins  to  rise  again ;  after  which,  bake  as  above.  Wet 
the  top  as  directed  above.  If  you  wish  to  add  currants,  put 
them  into  the  sponge  when  mixed. 

Spanish.  Flitters.     (Convenient  for  using  stale  bread.) 

Cut  slices  thick  as  your  finger ;  divide  them,  and  cut  off 
the  crust.  Prepare  the  following  mixture :  beat  well  three 
eggs ;  add  a  pint  of  milk,  a  little  salt,  and  nutmeg  or  cinna- 
mon. Dip  the  bread  in  this ;  take  out  the  pieces  when  a  little 
ft,  and  fry  on  a  buttered  griddle.  When  nicely  browned, 
lay  them,  fast  as  they  are  done,  in  a  hot  covered  dish,  and 
pour  over  each  some  melted  sauce,  such  as  you  make  for  pud- 
dings. This  is  a  nice  dish  for  tea  or  dessert. 


38  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Sour-Milk  Muffins, 

To  a  pint  of  sour  milk  put  one  egg,  without  first  beating 
it,  a  little  salt,  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  and  one  of  butter, 
melted  with  the  saleratus,  in  a  spoonful  of  hot  water.  Make 
rather  a  thick  batter,  and  beat  it  well.  Have  the  griddle  of  a 
moderate  heat,  grease  it,  and  also  the  rings;  lay  them  on,  and 
fill  them  only  half  full  of  the  batter ;  increase  the  heat  a 
little.  In  about  eight  minutes,  turn  them,  and  let  them  lie 
two  or  three  minutes  more. 

To  turn  them  without  spilling  requires  some  dexterity. 

Eye  Beach  Breakfast-Puns. 

Allow  a  quart  of  flour,  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk,  and  three 
eggs,  a  little  salt.  Mix  the  flour  smooth  in  part  of  the  milk, 
beat  the  eggs  and  add  them,  then  the  remainder  of  the  milk. 
Stir  well  together.  Have  little  earthen  puff-cups  ready  but- 
tered j  fill  them  half  full,  and  put  them  immediately  into  the 
oven  ;  bake  forty  minutes.  There  are  a  variety  of  drop-cake 
irons  for  baking  such  cakes.  They  should  be  rather  deep. 
The  earthen  cups  do  perfectly  well. 

Raised  Muffins. 

|  Melt  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  pint  of  milk ;  add  a 
little  salt,  two  eggs,  and  a  large  half-gill  of  yeast ;  then  stir 
in  flour  enough  to  make  a  thick  batter.  In  cold  weather,  this 
may  stand  two  or  three  days  without  becoming  sour. 

Top-Overs. 

Two  cups  of  sweet  milk,  two  of  flour  a  little  heaped,  a  bit 
of  butter  large  as  a  walnut,  two  eggs,  one  large  spoonful  of 
sugar,  a  little  nutmeg,  and  salt.  Melt  the  butter ;  add  the 
milk  slowly  to  the  flour  to  avoid  lumps.  Bake  in  cups  or 
iron  drop-cake  pans.  Twenty  minutes  in  a  quick  oven  will 
be  sufficient. 


GEMS.  —  FRENCH   TOAST. —PARKER   ROLLS.  39 

Gems. 

Allow  three  cups  of  flour,  shaken  down  in  the  cup,  to  one 
cup  of  cold  water  and  one  of  sweet  niilk.  Put  in  the  water 
and  milk  gradually,  so  as  to  smooth  out  the  lumps.  Then 


beat  steadily  just  five  minutes.  Have  ready,  hot  and  but- 
jtered,  an  iron  drop-cake  or  roll-pan.  The  pan  should  be 
1  heated  very  hot  on  the  top  of  the  stove ;  then  fill  the  pan 
even  full.  Bake  a  nice  brown  in  twenty-five  minutes.  Can 
be  made  of  Graham  flour.  Improved  by  one  or  two  eggs. 

French  Toast. 

Beat  two  or  three  eggs,  and  stir  into  a  pint  of  cold  milk, 
with  a  pinch  of  salt.  Take  thin  slices  of  stale  bread,  and 
dip  into  it.  As  you  take  out  the  slices,  set  them  up  on  the 
edges  a  minute  to  drain  off  some  of  the  milk.  Then  brown 
both  sides  of  them  on  a  buttered  griddle.  Lay  them  in  a  hot 
covered  dish.  Eat  with  syrup,  or  butter  and  sugar. 

Parker  Rolls. 

Boil  a  pint  of  milk ;  melt  in  it  a  tablespoonful  of  butier 
and  two  of  white  sugar.  When  the  milk  becomes  only  warm, 
stir  in  with  a  knife  half  a  cup  of  potato-yeast,  a  little  salt, 
and  flour  enough  to  make  a  thick  batter,  though  not  very . 
stiff.  Rise  over  night,  and  in  the  morning  add  flour  enou^^r 
to  knead  it.  Do  this  till  it  is  very  smooth,  and  let  it  stand 
till  the  middle  of  the  day  ;  then  make  into  rolls,  cutting  with 
a  tumbler,  and  turning  over  one-half,  like  a  turnover,  and 
wetting  the  edges  to  make  the  upper  part  adhere  to  the  lower. 
If  the  dough  is  very  light,  set  the  pan  of  rolls  in  a  cold  place 
until  an  hour  before  tea.  In  summer,  set  the  sponge  in  the 
morning,  and,  when  the  rolls  are  put  into  the  baking-pan,  set 
it  in  the  refrigerator  until  a  little  while  before  tea,  when  they 
will  rise  quickly  in  a  warm  place:  Bake  in  a  quick  oven. 
Cut  like  biscuit,  if  more  convenient. 


40  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Koxbnry  Pancakes.    (For  breakfast.) 

One  pint  of  sour  milk,  one  egg,  three  cups  of  rye-meal,  one 
of  Indian,  half  a  cup  of  molasses,  one  small  teaspoonful  of 
saleratus,  and  also  one  of  salt.  Fry  like  doughnuts.  Take 
a  tablespoonful  of  the  mixture,  and,  holding  it  low  over  the 
hot  fat,  scrape  out  with  a  knife,  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  it  a 
round  shape.  Stir  and  shake  them  about  constantly.  Eat 
with  sugar. 

GHIDDLE    CAKES. 

White  Flour. 

To  a  quart  of  milk  put  two  eggs,  a  little  salt,  a  large  spoon- 
ful of  butter  melted  into  the  milk,  a  small  gill  of  yeast,  and 
flour  enough  to  make  a  batter  about  as  thick  as  for  buckwheat 
cakes.  Some  persons  eat  them  with  a  sauce  made  of  butter, 
sugar,  water,  and  nutmeg.  Made  in  the  morning,  they  will 
be  light  for  tea. 

Buttermilk,  or  Sour  Milk. 

Make  a  thin  batter  with  a  small  quart  of  sour  or  butter 
milk,  white  flour,  a  spoonful  of  fine  Indian  meal  or  white 

leal,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  another  of  saleratus,  and  an  egg. 

ry  a  spoonful  on  the  griddle  before  you  proceed  to  bake  them, 
so  that  you  may  add  more  flour,  if  it  is  too  thin  to  turn  easily, 
or  more  milk  if  too  thick. 

Another  (without  an  Egg). 

Make  a  batter  just  like  the  last  receipt,  only  without  the 
egg.  Omit  the  Indian  meal  if  you  choose. 

Indian  Meal* 

These  are  made  like  the  sour-milk  cakes,  only  that  the 
milk  is  chiefly  thickened  with  Indian  meal.  A  spoonful  or 

*  White  corn-meal  is  best  for  these  cakes ;  but  yellow  meal  is  best  for  brown 
bread  and  Indian  puddings. 


tat" 


J  , 

i 


GRIDDLE    CAKES.  4} 

two  of  flour  should  be  added ;  and  it  is  well  to  use  two  eggs 
instead  of  one,  but  not  necessary.  Add  a  little  bit  of  butter, 
melted. 

NOTE.  —  In  all  these  various  kinds  of  cakes  in  which  sour 
milk  is  used,  it  is  an  improvement  to  substitute  buttermilk ; 
bat  that  which  is  sold  in  cities  as  buttermilk  is  often  adul- 
terated. 

Various  remnants  can  be  economically  used  in  griddle-cakes 
or  drop-cakes.  Hominy  or  farina-pudding  or  boiled  rice,  win- 
ter squash,  or  mashed  potato  left  of  dinner,  need  not  be  wasted. 
Put  them  into  a  jar  or  pitcher  kept  for  the  purpose,  with  a 
pint  of  milk.  When  it  has  become  sour,  break  it  up  with 
your  hand,  add  an  egg,  salt,  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  and 
flour  or  corn-meal,  and  bake  on  the  griddle ;  or  make  the  bat- 
ter a  little  thicker,  and  bake  in  drop-cake  irons.  (See  Crumb 
Cakes,  page  231.) 

Ground  Rice. 

Boil  a  quart  of  milk.  Rub  smooth  a  teacupful  of  ground 
rice  in  a  gill  or  two  of  cold  milk,  and  stir  it  into  the  boiling 
milk.  Add  salt,  and,  when  cool,  add  half  a  teacup  of  yeast, 
four  eggs,  and  flour  to  make  it  the  right  thickness  for  baking. 
Let  it  rise  light.  Bake  on  the  griddle. 

Buckwheat. 

For  a  family  of  four  or  five,  take  a  quart  of  warm  water,  a 
spoonful  of  scalded  Indian  meal,  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of 
salt,  and  a  gill  of  yeast.  Stir  in  buckwheat  flour  enough  to 
make  a  thin  batter.  Let  it  rise  over  night.  In  the  morning 
add  a  quarter  of  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  or  soda.  Do  this 
whether  the  cakes  are  sour  or  not.  Buckwheat-cakes  cannot 
be  made  in  perfection  without  this  addition  ;  but  it  should 
never  be  put  in  till  just  before  they  are  baked.  Such  cakes 
are  often  made  too  thick,  and  fried  with  too  much  fat.  They 


42  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

should  be  as  thin  as  they  can  be,  and  be  easily  turned  with  a 
griddle-shovel,  and  no  more  fat  should  be  used  than  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  them  from  sticking.  To  prevent  the  use  of  too 
much,  tie  a  soft  white  rag,  tight,  round  the  tines  of  a  large 
fork,  and  keep  it  for  this  purpose.  If  a  gill  of  the  batter  is 
left,  it  will  raise  the  next  parcel.  All  kinds  of  griddle-cakes 
should  be  well  beaten. 

Fritters,  or  Pancakes. 

Make  a  batter  of  a  pint  of  milk,  three  eggs,  salt,  and  flour 
to  make  a  rather  thick  batter.  Beat  it  well,  then  drop  it 
with  a  spoon  into  hot  fat,  and  fry  like  doughnuts.  These 
and  the  snow-fritters  are  usually  eaten  with  sugar  and  cider, 
or  lemon-juice. 

Snow-Fritters. 

Stir  together  milk,  flour,  and  a  little  salt,  to  make  rather  a 
thick  batter.  Add  new-fallen  snow  in  the  proportion  of  a 
teacupful  to  a  pint  of  milk.  Have  the  fat  ready  hot  at  the 
time  you  stir  in  the  snow,  and  drop  the  batter  into  it  with  a 
spoon.  These  pancakes  are  even  preferred,  by  some,  to  those 
made  with  eggs. 

Corn-Cake. 

Stir  into  three  cups  of  sour  milk  a  half  a  cup  of  white 
sugar,  one  cup  of  white  flour,  one  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a 
beaten  egg.  Add  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  about  a 
spoonful  of  boiling  water,  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  melted, 
and  sifted  Indian  meal  enough  to  make  a  thick  batter;  but  it 
should  not  be  stiff.  Bake  in  two  pans  about  half  an  hour. 

White-Meal  Cake. 

The  white  corn-meal  makes  the  most  delicate  breakfast 
cakes.  Use  the  proportions  of  sour  milk,  sugar,  butter,  salt, 
and  saleratus  mentioned  above,  also  one  or  two  eggs,  but  no 
wheat-flour.  Stir  in  enough  white  meal  to  make  a  batter  as 
thick  as  for  the  preceding  cake.  Bake  in  two  pans  half  an 
hour,  or  in  little  drop-cake  pans  a  shorter  time. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   MAKING   CAKE.  43 

Eaised  Johnny-Cake. 

Take  a  pint  of  sweet  milk,  half  a  gill  of  yeast,  one  gill  of 
flour,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus ; 
stir  in  Indian  meal  enough  to  make  it  rather  stiffer  than  grid- 
dle-cakes ;  let  it  rise  over  night,  and  in  the  morning  bake  as 
directed  above. 

This  kind  of  cake  has  the  advantage  over  those  made  with- 
out yeast,  that,  if  a  piece  of  it  is  left,  it  is  not  heavy  when 
cold,  but  is  as  palatable  a  lunch  as  a  slice  of  good  bread. 

Another  Johnny-Cake. 

Take  a  pint  of  sour  milk,  or  buttermilk,  break  an  egg  into 
it,  stir  in  a  spoonful  or  two  of  flour,  and  add  Indian  meal 
enough  to  make  a  thick  batter;  put  in  a  teaspoonful  of  salt, 
stir  it  five  or  six  minutes,  and  then  add  a  heaping  teaspoonful 
of  saleratus  dissolved  in  hot  water.  If  it  is  the  season  for 
berries  of  any  kind,  put  in  a  gill  or  two,  but  add  more  meal  j 
bake  in  a  pan  or  on  the  griddle. 

Graham  Drop-Cakes. 

Three  teacups  of  sour  milk  half  a  cup  of  brown  sugar, 
one  cup  of  white  flour,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  also  one  of  saler- 
atus, and  enough  Graham  meal  to  make  a  stiff  batter.  Bake 
in  drop-cake  irons. 

NOTE.  —  To  prepare  new  drop-cake  pans  for  use,  scour 
them  first  with  soap  and  sand,  then  grease  them  well,  and 
heat  them,  then  wash  them  again. 

NOTE.  —  In  the  season  of  whortleberries,  add  them  to  all 
these  corn-cakes. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    MAKING    CAKE. 


cake  or  pastry  is  to  be  made,  take  care  not  to  make 
trouble  for  others  by  scattering  materials,  and  soiling  the  table 
or  floor,  or  by  the  needless  use  of  many  dishes.  Put  on  a  large 


44  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPERS    FRIEND. 

and  clean  apron,  roll  your  sleeves  above  the  elbows,  tie  some- 
thing  over  your  head  lest  hair  may  fall ;  take  care  that  your 
hands  are  clean,  and  have  a  basin  of  water  and  a  clean  towel  at 
hand.  Place  every  thing  you  will  need  on  the  table ;  butter  the 
pans,  grate  the  nutmegs,  and  squeeze  the  lemons.  Then  break 
the  eggs,  each  in  a  cup  by  itself,  lest  adding  a  bad  one  to  the 
others  should  spoil  the  whole.  Then  weigh  or  measure  flour 
and  sugar,  and,  if  not  already  done,  sift  them.  Make  your  cake 
in  an  earthen,  and  not  in  a  tin  pan. 

In  warm  weather,  put  your  eggs  into  cold  water  or  in  ice 
some  time  before  you  are  ready  to  break  them.  They  cut  into 
a  much  finer  froth  for  being  cold.  For  some  kinds  of  cake, 
the  whites  should  be  cut  to  a  stiff  froth,  and  the  yolks  beaten 
and  strained^  and  then  put  to  the  butter  and  sugar,  after  these 
have  been  stirred  till  they  look  like  cream.  Then  mix  the 
flour  gradually. 

When  cream  or  sour  milk  is  to  be  put  in,  half  of  it  should  be 
added  when  half  the  flour  is  mixed  in ;  then  the  remainder  of 
the  flour,  and  then  the  saleratus  dissolved  in  the  other  half  of  the 
cream  or  milk.  Lastly,  add  the  spice,  wine,  lemon-juice,  or 
fruit. 

In  summer  do  not  stir  cake  with  the  hand ;  the  warmth  of  it 
makes  it  less  light.  A  wooden  spoon,  kept  on  purpose,  is  the 
best  thing.  In  winter,  soften,  but  do  not  melt  the  butter,  before 
using  it.  Cake  not  raised  with  yeast,  should  be  baked  as  soon 
as  it  is  made,  except  such  as  is  hard  enough  to  be  roiled.  Cook- 
ies and  sugar  gingerbread  roll  out  more  smoothly  the  next  day. 

Firkin  butter  must  be  cut  in  small  pieces,  and  washed,  to  re- 
move some  of  the  salt.  Dram  it  well,  or  it  will  make  heavy 
cake.  Never  put  strong  butter  into  cake ;  it  renders  it  disagree- 
able and  unhealthy.* 

Fresh  eggs  are  needed  for  nice  white  cake.  Those  kept  in 
lime-water  will  do  for  raised  cake  and  cookies. 

New  Orleans,  or  other  good  brown  sugar,  is  good  for  raised^ 

*  See  directions  for  keeping  butter  in  rose-leaves.     Page  261. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR  MAKING    CAKE.  45 

fruit,  and  wedding-cake,  but  it  should  be  coarse-grained  and 
clean.  It  will  answer  also  for  cup-cake,  especially  if  fruit  is 
used.  Granulated  sugar  must  be  used  for  sponge  and  other 
delicate  cake. 

The  fruit  should  be  added  to  raised  cake  when  it  is  ready  for 
the  oven.  Spread  it  equally  over  the  top,  and  press  it  only  a 
little  below  the  surface,  else  it  will  sink  to  the  bottom. 

Cask  raisins  should  be  washed  before  being  stoned,  and  box 
raisins  also,  unless  fresh.  In  stoning  them,  cut  them  in  two  or 
three  pieces,  or  chop  them. 

Keep  currants  ready,  prepared  for  use.  To  do  this,  wash 
them  in  warm  water,  rubbing  them  between  the  hands,  and  then 
pour  off  the  water.  Repeat  this  till  the  water  is  clear,  then 
drain  them  in  a  sieve,  spread  them  on  a  cloth  on  a  table,  and 
rub  them  dry  with  the  ends  of  the  cloth.  Then  brush  the  good 
ones  into  a  dish  in  your  lap,  putting  aside  the  bad  ones  on  the 
table.  Dry  them  in  a  gentle  warmth,  and  set  them  away  for 
use. 

Buttered  white  paper  in  the  bottom  and  sides  of  pans  for 
cake  requiring  long- baking,  is  needful ;  and  paper  not  buttered 
is  good  for  other  kinds  of  cake,  as  it  prevents  burning.  It  will 
readily  peel  off  when  the  cake  is  taken  from  the  pans. 

Attention  and  practice  will  teach  when  cake  is  well  baked. 
When  it  is  done  enough,  it  settles  a  little  away  from  the  pan. 
Even  well  made  cake  becomes  heavy  by  being  taken  out  of  the 
oven  before  it  is  perfectly  baked.  Moving  it  carelessly  while  it 
is  baking  will  also  make  light  cake  fall.  If  you  have  occasion 
to  change  the  position  of  the  pans,  do  it  gently. 

A  tin  chest  or  a  stone  jar  is  good  to  keep  cake  in,  and  it  is  a 
good  way  to  let  that  which  is  not  to  be  kept  long,  remain  in  the 
tins  in  which  it  was  baked.  Attention  and  practice  will 
teach  when  cake  is  well  baked.  To  ascertain  when  cake  is 
done,  try  it  with  a  broom  straw  doubled. 

The  oven  should  not  be  so  hot  as  to  make  cake  rise  very 
rapidly,  because  it  will  be  liable  to  fall  when  taken  from  the 
oven. 


46  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Directions  for  beating-  the  Whites  of  Eggs.* 

On  breaking  eggs,  take  care  that  none  of  the  yolk  becomes 
mingled  with  the  whites.  A  single  particle  will  sometimes  pre- 
vent their  frothing  well.  Put  the  whites  into  a  large,  flat  dish, 
and  beat  them  with  an  egg-beater  made  of  doubled  wire,  with  a 
tin  handle  ;  or  with  a  cork  stuck  crosswise  upon  the  prongs  of 
a  fork.  Strike  a  sharp,  quick  stroke  through  the  whole  length 
of  the  dish.  Beat  them  in  a  cool  place  till  they  look  like  snow, 
and  you  can  turn  the  dish  over  without  their  slipping  off.  Never 
suspend  the  process  nor  let  them  stand;  even  for  one  minute,  as 
they  will  begin  to  return  to  a  liquid  state,  and  cannot  be  re- 
stored, and  thus  will  make  heavy  cake.  After  they  are  beaten 
to  a  stiff  froth  they  will  not  return  to  a  liquid  state. 

Frosting. 

A  pound  of  the  best  of  fine  white  sugar,  the  whites  of  three 
fresh  eggs,  a  teaspoonful  of  nice  starch,  pounded,  and  sifted 
through  a  piece  of  muslin  or  a  very  fine  sieve,  the  juice  of  half 
a  lemon,  and  a  few  drops  of  the  essence. 

Beat  the  whites  to  a  stiff  froth,  then  add  them  to  the  sugar, 
and  stir  it  steadily  until  it  will  stay  where  you  put  it.  It  will 
take  nearly  two  hours,  perhaps  more.  Dredge  a  little  flour  over 
the.  cake,  and  brush  it  off  with  a  feather.  This  is  to  prevent 
the  frosting  from  being  discolored  by  the  butter  contained  in  the 
cake.  Lay  it  on  smoothly  with  a  knife,  when  the  cake 
is  nearly  cool,  and  return  the  cake  to  the  oven  twelve  or  fif- 
teen minutes.  The  oven  should  be  very  moderate. 

Chocolate  Frosting. 

Beat  the  whites  of  four  eggs  very  stiff.  Add  a  cup  and  a 
half  of  sugar,  and  six  spoonfuls  of  grated  chocolate.  Beat 
till  thick.  Harden  in  the  air,  —  not  in  the  oven. 

Another  way, 

A  pound  of  the  best  granulated  sugar,  the  whites  of  three 
eggs,  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  finely-powdered 

*  Whites  that  have  stood  a  little  while  upon  ice,  will  soonest  beat  up  to  a 
stiff  froth. 


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FRUIT   CAKES.  47 

starch.  To  mix  it,  put  the  sugar  into  a  deep  bowl,  and  pour 
npon  it  just  cold  water  enough  to  soften  the  lumps,  then  beat 
the  whites  of  eggs  about  half  as  much  as  for  nice  cake  —  not  to 
a  stiff  froth ;  add  them  to  the  melted  sugar,  and  set  the  bowl 
into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water,  and  stir  the  mixture  steadily.  It 
will  soon  become  thin  and  clear,  and  afterwards  thicken.  "When 
it  has  become  quite  thick,  take  it  from  the  fire  and  stir  it  till  it 
is  cold,  and  thick  enough  to  spread  with  a  knife..  This  is 
enough  for  a  large  loaf. 


FRUIT    CAKES. 

Wedding. 

Five  pounds  each  of  flour,  butter,  and  sugar,  six  of  raisins, 
twelve  of  currants,  two  of  citron,  fifty  eggs,  half  a  pint  of  good 
Malaga  wine,  three  ounces  of  nutmegs,  three  of  cinnamon,  one 
and  a  half  of  mace.  Bake  in  three  large  pans  four  hours. 

Another. 

Three  pounds  each  of  flour,  butter,  and  sugar,  six  of  cur- 
rants, six  of  raisins,  an  ounce  each  of  nutmegs  and  cinnamon, 
half  an  ounce  of  clove,  a  pound  of  citron,  the  grated  peel  of  two 
lemons,  half  a  gill  each  of  brandy  and  rose-water,  or  a  small 
teaspoonful  of  the  essence  of  rose,  and  thirty  eggs. 

To  mix  either  of  these  two  receipts,  stir  the  sugar  and  butter 
to  a  cream,  beat  the  yolks  and  whites  of  the  eggs  separately,  and 
add  them  to  the  butter  and  sugar,  then  by  degrees  put  in  two 
thirds  of  the  flour,  then  the  spice  and  brandy  or  wine,  and 
last  the  fruit,  mixed  with  the  remaining  third  of  the  flour. 
Have  the  citron  ready  cut  up,  and  when  you  have  put  a  little  of 
the  cake  into  the  pan,  put  in  a  layer  of  citron,  then  more  cake, 
and  again  citron  and  cake  alternately.  This  quantity  will  bake 
in  one  cake  in  five  hours,  in  three  cakes,  three  hours.  Each 
of  these  two  kinds  will  keep  years,  if  frosted.  Brown  sugar 
is  preferred  for  both  of  above :  if  made  of  white,  the  cake  is 
too  light-colored  for  wedding-cake. 


48  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Maine  Plum. 

A  pound  each  of  butter,  sugar,  and  flour,  ten  eggs,  a  pound 
of  raisins,  two  of  currants,  half  a  pound  of  citron,  a  teaspoonful 
of  powdered  clove,  half  as  much  mace,  a  nutmeg,  the  juice  of  a 
lemon  and  the  grated  peel,  and  a  half  a  teacup  of  good  molas- 
ses. Before  you  proceed  to  mix  it,  scatter  one  teaspoonful  of 
cream  of  tartar  into  the  flour ;  and  the  last  thing,  before  you 
put  in  the  fruit,  dissolve  a  half  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  in  a 
spoonful  of  boiling  water,  and  add  it,  stirring  the  cake  fast  two 
or  three  minutes.  Mix  this  in  the  same  way  as  directed  In.  the 
two  previous  receipts.  If  baked  in  a  brick  oven,  bake  it  three 
hours  in  one  pan ;  if  in  a  stove,  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  two. 

Although  this  cake  has  no  wine  or  brandy,  it  will  keep  fresh 
(if  frosted)  almost  any  length  of  time. 

One  Loaf  (plainer). 

A  pound  each  of  flour  and  sugar,  ten  ounces  of  butter,  five 
eggs,  a  pint  of  milk,  two  pounds  and  a  half  of  raisins  and  cur- 
rants, a  gill  of  wine,  a  nutmeg,  a  large  spoonful  of  cinnamon, 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  clove.  Add  the  same  measure  of  cream 
of  tartar  and  saleratus  as  in  the  last  receipt,  and  in  the  same 
way,  and  bake  the  same  length  of  time. 

To  make  just  frosting  enough  for  either  of  these  two  last  cakes, 
take  the  whites  of  four  eggs,  if  the  weather  is  cold,  three  if  it 
is  warm,  cut  them  to  a  stiff  froth,  add  a  pound  of  finest  sugar, 
and  beat  it  two  hours.  Add  lemon,  rose,  or  any  essence  you 
prefer,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  sifted  starch.  When  the  loaf  is 
baked,  lay  on  the  icing  with  a  knife,  and  return  it  to  the  oven 
fifteen  minutes. 

Washington. 

To  one  pound  of  flour,  put  one  pound  of  sugar,  three  quarters 
of  a  pound  of  butter,  eight  eggs,  two  nutmegs,  one  pound  of 
raisins,  and  one  of  currants. 


RAISED    CAKES.  49 


RAISED    CAKES. 

Commencement. 

Four  pounds  of  flour,  two  and  a  half  of  sugar,  two  of  butter, 
a  small  qjjart  of  milk,  half  a  pint  of  wine,  eight  eggs,  two  gills 
of  yeast,  two  nutmegs,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  cinnamon,  one  of 
clove,  or  a  little  mace.  Make  up  the  flour,  yeast,  and  milk, 
exactly  like  bread,  and  when  fully  light,  add  the  other  ingre- 
dients, and  put  it  into  deep  pans.  If  the  weather  is  cool,  let  it 
stand  till  the  next  day.  When  it  is  again  very  light,  add  one 
pound  of  currants  and  two  of  raisins ;  and  bake  two  hours. 

This  is  excellent  cake,  and  will  keep  good  many  weeks. 

Loaf. 

Three  pounds  of  flour,  two  of  sugar,  one  and  a  half  of  but- 
ter, two  of  fruit,  six  eggs,  half  a  pint  of  yeast,  a  gill  of  wine, 
two  nutmegs,  a  teaspoonful  each  of  cinnamon  and  clove,  and  a 
little  mace.  Make  up  the  flour  and  yeast  with  milk,  just  like 
bread ;  when  it  is  very  light  add  all  the  other  ingredients,  ex- 
cept the  fruit.  Put  in  the  eggs  without  beating,  warm  the 
wine,  and  mix  the  whole  very  thoroughly.  Then  put  it  in  pans 
and  set  it  to  rise  till  the  next  day,  and  when  light  enough  to 
bake,  put  in  the  fruit  as  directed  in  the  general  observations 
at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter. 

Another. 

A  pound  and  a  half  of  flour,  one  of  sugar,  three  quarters  of 
a  pound  of  butter,  a  pound  of  raisins  and  currants,  four  eggs,  a 
nutmeg,  a  glass  of  wine,  a  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon,  half  a  one 
of  clove.  Make  up  the  flour  like  bread,  with  a  gill  of  yeast 
and  new  milk  warmed.  When  it  is  perfectly  light,  add  the 
eggs  without  beating,  and  stir  all  the  ingredients  together 
thoroughly.  Put  it  into  pans,  and  when  it  has  risen  again,  add 
the  fruit,  and  bake  it. 


50  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

Bread  Cake. 

Five  teacups  of  very  light  bread  dough,  that  is  wet  with 
milk  ;  three  of  sugar,  two  of  butter,  three  or  four  eggs  ;  or  if 
they  are  scarce,  two.  Mix  it  thoroughly,  using  both  hands. 
Flavor  it  with  such  spice,  or  essence  as  you  prefer,  and  then 
put  it  into  three  pans  such  as  you  use  for  cup  cak^  and  let  it 
stand  till  perfectly  light  before  you  bake  it.  In  winter  let  it 
stand  in  a  warm  closet,  or  some  place  where  it  will  not  become 
very  cold,  and  remain  till  the  next  day. 

By  the  addition  of  spice,  fruit,  more  sugar,  &c.,  you  can 
make  it  as  rich  as  you  please. 

Ellen's  Bread  Cake. 

Hub  to  a  cream  one  cup  and  a  half  of  sugar,  and  a  large 
half-cup  of  butter.  Then  add  one  beaten  egg,  some  nutmeg, 
half  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  and  half  the  rind,  and  two  cups  of 
light  bread-sponge,  or  light  dough.  Dissolve  a  small  teaspoon- 
ful  of  saleratus  in  a  little  milk,  and  stir  in  also  enough  flour 
to  make  of  the  consistency  of  cup-cake.  Put  it  in  two  pans 
to  rise  for  an  hour  or  more. 


When  these  receipts  were  first  written,  the  use 
of  wine  in  fruit-cake  was  considered  indispensable.  The  juice 
of  lemons  is  a  very  good  substitute. 


CUP    CAKES. 

[The  cup  used  as  a  measure  for  the  receipts  in  this  book  is  not  the  tea- 
table  china  cup,  but  the  common  large  earthen  teacup,  except  where  a 
small  one  is  specified ;  and  the  teaspoon  used  is  neither  the  largest  or 
smallest,  but  the  medium  sized.] 

Howard. 

To  ten  cups  of  flour,  put  six  of  sugar,  three  of  butter,  three 
-of  sour  milk  (a  little  warm),  eight  eggs,  a  glass  of  wine,  a  large 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  a  nutmeg,  a  pound  of  currants,  a 
of  raisins. 


/^h^l^-^-L^t-^^J 


CUP    CAKES.  51 

Tollbridge.  .A 

Four  cups  and  a  half  of  flour,  three  of  sugar,  one  of  butter, 
one  of  cream,  one  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  six  eggs,  spice,  cur- 
rants, citron,  and  a  little  wine. 

Bridgeport. 

To  one  teacup  of  butter,  put  two  of  sugar,  three  and  a  half 
of  flour,  four  eggs,  one  cup  of  sour  milk,  the  juice  and  part  of 
^lie  rind  of  a  lemon,  a  small  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  and  two 
cups  of  currants.  Bake  in  small  pans. 

Superior. 

One  very  heaping  cup  of  butter,  two  and  a  half  of  sugar,  four 
eggs,  four  cups  of  flour,  and  one  and  a  half  of  ground  rice,  one 
and  a  half  of  sweet  milk,  a  nutmeg,  a  little  grated  lemon-rind, 
the  juice  of  a  lemon  squeezed  into  the  milk,  and  a  teaspoonful 
of  saleratus. 

Barnard. 

One  cup  of  butter,  three  of  sugar,  four  and  a  half  of  flour, 
four  eggs,  a  cup  of  sour  milk,  the  juice,  and  a  little  of  the  rind 
of  a  lemon,  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus. 

It  is  a  good  way  to  use  butter  that  has  been  kept  a  few  days 
in  a  jar  of  rose  leaves,  for  these  cup  cakes,  and  then  very  little 
spice  is  necessary. 

All  delicate  soft  cake  is  improved  in  appearance  by  sifting  a 
little  fine  sugar  over  the  top,  just  as  it  goes  into  the  oven. 

Mount  Pleasant 

Five  teacups  of  flour,  one  heaping  cup  of  butter,  two  cups 
and  a  half  of  sugar,  one  cup  of  sour  milk,  four  eggs,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  saleratus,  one  nutmeg. 

Provence. 

Four  cups  of  flour,  one  of  sugar,  one  of  butter,  one  of  sour 


52  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

milk,  one  of  molasses,  four  eggs,  one  nutmeg,  one  small  tea 
spoonful  of  saleratus,  and  a  pound  and  a  half  of  raisins. 

Composition. 

A  coffee  cup  of  butter  (small  measure),  two  if  sugar,  threo 
of  flour,  one  and  a  half  of  good  ground  rice,  one  of  sour  milk, 
zialf  a  nutmeg,  a  little  essence  of  lemon,  a  large  teaspoonful  of 
saleratus,  and  three  eggs.  If  you  have  sour  cream,  instead  of 
the  milk,  use  half  a  cup  of  butter. 

New  Orleans. 

Two  cups  of  sugar,  three  and  a  half  of  flour,  one  of  milk, 
four  eggs,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  a  teaspoonful  of  cream  of 
tartar  in  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Beat  the  eggs  and  sugar 
together,  then  add  half  the  milk  and  flour ;  when  these  are 
mixed,  the  rest  of  the  milk  with  the  half  teaspoonful  of  soda 
dissolved  in  it,  the  remainder  of  the  flour,  the  lemon-juice  and 
cream  of  tartar ;  and  last,  a  little  essence  of  rose. 


SPONGE    CAKES. 

The  goodness  of  all  delicate  cake,  but  specially  of  sponge, 
depends  very  much  upon  its  being  made  with  fresh  eggs.  There 
are  several  ways  of  making  this  cake  which  all  result  well.  For 
those  who  choose  not  to  be  cheated  of  eggs  by  the  use  of  cream 
of  tartar,  two  excellent  receipts,  and  two  different  methods  of  mix- 
ing, are  given. 

•  Two  receipts  for  making  it  by  measure  are  added,  each  oi 
them  perfect,  if  made  right,  and  the  last  one  requiring  the  least 
possible  time  and  labor. 

For  the  old-fashioned  sponge  cake,  beat  the  yolks  thoroughly, 
and  the  whites  to  a  very  stiff  froth,  and  mix  the  ingredients 
thus :  Stir  the  sugar  and  whites  together,  then  add  the  yolks, 
next  the  flour,  and  last,  the  lemon  or  spice,  or, 

Mix  the  yolks  and  whites  after  they  are  beaten,  and  having 


_£$.*& 


SPONGE    CAKES.  53 

stirred  the  flour  and  sugar  together,  add  them,  and  the  spice. 
It  should  then  be  stirred  fast  two  minutes,  and  baked  in  rather  a 
quick  oven.  It  is  made  sticky,  and  less  light  by  being  stirred 
long.  There  is  no  other  cake,  the  goodness  of  which  depends 
so  much  upon  care,  and  good  judgment  in  baking. 

Lyman. 

'To  one  pound  of  flour,  put  one  and  a  half  of  sugar,  fifteen 
eggs,  the  rind  of  two  lemons,  and  juice  of  one,  and  a  little  salt. 

Delaware. 

Take  the  weight  of  ten  eggs,  while  unbroken,  in  sugar, 
and  the  weight  of  five  in  flour.  Beat  the  yolks  till  very  light, 
then  add  the  sugar,  and  beat  five  minutes.  While  one  person' 
is  doing  this,  another  should  be  beating  the  whites  to  a  stiff 
froth.  Add  them,  and  then  stir  in  the  flour  gradually  and 
thoroughly.  Flavor  the  cake  with  essence  of  lemon.  This 
measure  makes  three  good-sized  loaves.  Bake  about  half 
an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven.  The  oven-door  must  not  be 
opened  till  the  cake  is  nearly  done,  as  it  will  be  likely  to 
fall.  This  measure  is  easily  altered  for  a  large  or  small  fam- 


Berwick. 

Beat  six  eggs,  yolks  and  whites  together,  two  minutes  ;  add 
three  cups  of  sugar,  and  beat  five  minutes  ;  two  cups  of  flour 
with  two  teaspoonfuls  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  beat  two  minutes  ; 
one  cup  of  cold  water,  with  one  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  dissolved 
in  it,  arid  beat  one  minute  ;  the  grated  rind,  and  half  the  juice 
of  a  lemon,  a  little  salt  and  two  more  cups  of  flour,  and  beat 
three  minutes.  Observe  the  tune  exactly,  and  bake  in  rather 
deep  cup  cake  pans. 

Drop  Sponge  Cakes. 

Half  a  pound  of  sugar,  quarter  of  a  pound  of  flour,  four 
eggs,  beaten  separately  (the  whites  very  stiff),  the  juice  of  a 
lemon.  Drop  on  buttered  tins. 


54  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 


VARIOUS    KINDS    OP    CAKE. 

Queen's. 

One  pound  of  flour,  one  of  sugar,  half  a  pound  of  butter 
(that  which  has  lain  in  a  jar  of  rose-leaves  is  best),  five  eggs, 
a  gill  of  wine,  a  gill  of  cream,  a  nutmeg,  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
saleratus,  two  pounds  of  currants,  or  chopped  raisins. 

Stir  the  butter  and  sugar  to  a  cream,  beat  the  whites"  and 
yolks  of  the  eggs  separately,  and  after  they  and  the  flour  are 
also  mixed  with  it,  warm  the  cream  and  wine  together,  and  add 
them,  then  the  saleratus,  and  last  the  fruit.  Frost  it,  or  sift 
fine  sugar  over  the  top  just  before  it  is  put  into  the  oven. 

Snow,  or  Bride's. 

A  pound  each  of  flour  and  sugar,  half  a  pound  of  butter,  and 
the  whites  of  sixteen  eggs  beaten,  to  a  stiff  froth.  Flavor  it 
with  rose. 

Another  (plainer). 

The  whites  of  six  eggs,  two  cups  and  a  half  of  flour,  half 
a  cup  of  butter,  one  cup  and  a  half  of  sugar,  half  a  cup  of 
sweet  milk,  one  teaspoonful  of  cream-of-tartar,  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  saleratus.  Flavor  with  rose  or  almond. 

Mix  the  cream-of-tartar  in  the  flour ;  dissolve  the  soda  in 
the  milk ;  rub  the  butter  and  sugar  to  a  cream ;  then  add  the 
milk  and  half  the  flour ;  beat  the  whites  to  a  very  stiff  froth, 
and  add  them  with  the  remainder  of  the  flour,  and  stir  stead- 
ily a  few  minutes.  This  measure  makes  two  pans. 

Gold  Cake. 

One  cup  of  butter,  two  of  sugar,  four  of  flour,  one  cup  of 
sweet  milk,  the  yolks  of  eight  eggs,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  cream- 
of-tartar,  one  of  saleratus. 

Stir  the  butter  and  sugar  to  a  cream;  beat  the  yolks  five  or 


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VARIOUS    KINDS    OF   CAKE. 


55 


six  minutes,  and  add  to  the  butter  and  sugar ;  scatter  the 
cream-of-tartar  in  the  flour ;  dissolve  the  saleratus  in  the  milk. 
Put  in  half  of  the  flour ;  add  the  milk,  and,  when  mixed,  stir 
in  the  rest  of  the  flour.  Flavor  with  essence  of  lemon.  This 
makes  three  pans. 

Silver  Cake. 

One  small  cup  of  hutter,  two  of  sugar,  four  and  a  half  of 
flour,  the  whites  of  eight  eggs,  one  cup  of  sweet  milk,  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  cream-of-tartar,  and  one  of  saleratus.  Stir 
the  butter  and  sugar  to  a  cream ;  beat  the  whites  very  stiff, 
and  add  them  before  you  add  the  milk.  Dissolve  the  salera- 
tus in  the  milk.  Flavor  with  two  teaspoonfuls  of  Burnett's 
extract  of  almond.  This  makes  three  pans. 

Jelly-Cake,  or  Washington  Pie. 

Make  cup  cake,  and  when  the  ingredients  are  well  mixed, 
spread  it  upon  round  shallow  tins,  three  table-spoonfuls  to  each 
tin.  It  will  bake  in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  ;  then  turn  it  upon  a 
hair  sieve,  the  under  surface  uppermost.  While  it  is  warm 
spread  upon  it  raspberry  jam,  currant,  or  other  jelly ;  then  lay 
the  second  sheet  of  cake  upon  it,  the  under  side  next  to  the 
jelly.  If  you  wish  to  make  several  alternate  layers  of  cake  and 
jelly  make  the  sheets  of  cake  very  thin  j  one  large  spoonful  of 
the  batter  will  be  enough  for  each  tin. 

White  Mountain. 

Six  eggs,  six  cups  of  flour,  three  of  sugar,  two  of  butter,  one 
of  milk,  one  nutmeg,  one  teaspoon  of  saleratus.  To^Baix  it, 
stir  the  butter  and  sugar  to  a  cream,  beat  the  whites  and  yolks 
of  the  eggs  separately ;  add  the  yolks  to  the  butter  and  sugar, 
next  part  of  the  milk  and  half  of  the  flour,  and  the  whites,  then 
the  rest  of  the  milk  with  the  saleratus  dissolved  in  it,  and  then 
the  remainder  of  the  flour,  and  last  the  grated  nutmeg. 


56  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Chocolate  Cake. 

One  cup  and  a  half  of  white  sugar,  half  a  cup  of  butter, 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  half  a  cup  of  milk, 
three  cups  of  flour,  with  one  teaspoonful  of  cream-of-tartar 
stirred  into  it,  and  three  eggs  beaten  thoroughly,  yolks  and 
whites  together.  Flavor  with  essence  of  lemon.  Bake  in 
three  square  pans. 

For  the  filling,  use  one  cup  of  milk,  half  a  cake  of  the 
sweet  chocolate  grated,  and  two  eggs. 

Boil  the  milk,  with  the  chocolate  in  it,  for  two  or  three 
minutes.  Stir  it  often,  and  add  the  beaten  eggs.  Spread 
the  chocolate  between  the  sheets,  like  jelly-cake,  or  cut  the 
sheets  into  square  pieces  of  the  right  size  for  the  table ;  split 
each  one,  and  put  the  chocolate  between  the  two  parts.  If 
the  chocolate  runs,  add  more  to  make  it  thicker. 

New-York  Chocolate  Cake. 

Rub  to  a  cream  one  cup  of  sugar  and  half  a  cup  of  butter. 
Add  the  whites  of  two  eggs  beaten  stiff,  then  a  cup  and  a 
half  of  flour,  with  one  teaspoonful  of  cream-of-tartar.  Dis- 
solve half-a  teaspoonful  of  soda  in  half  a  cup  of  sweet  milk, 
and  stir  in  to  the  cake  well.  Flavor  with  essence  of 
lemon.  Bake  in  one  loaf.  When  cold,  cut  in  four  or  five 
layers,  with  a  very  sharp  knife.  They  should  be  about  half 
an  inch  thick. 

For  the  frosting,  beat  stiff  the  whites  of  two  eggs,  and  stir 
into  them  one  cake  of  "  German  sweet  chocolate,"  grated. 
Add  powdered  sugar,  but  not  enough  to  make  the  mixture 
too  stiff.  It  should  not  be  so  soft  as  to  run.  If  it  becomes 
too  thick,  put  in  two  or  three  teaspoonfuls  of  cold  water. 
Spread  the  frosting  thus  prepared  between  the  layers,  and 
over  the  top  also,  if  you  wish. 

Orange  Cake. 

Two  cups  of  sugar,  two  cups  of  flour,  half  a  cup  of  water, 
the  yolks  of  five  eggs,  the  whites  of  three,  one  teaspoonful 


,.    \'ff<fS-.S  ^ 

'  -.  .    ^      '    '  '  -   ,  ' 


a 


VARIOUS   KINDS   OF   CAKE.  57 

of  cream-of-tartar,  and  half  a  one  of  saleratus.  Add  a  little 
salt,  and  the  juice  and  grated  rind  of  one  orange.  Beat  the 
whites  to  a  stiif  froth,  then  add  the  sugar,  and  when  thor- 
oughly mixed  add  the  yolks,  these  having  been  previously 
beaten  for  five  minutes.  Bake  in  five  tins  like  jelly-cake. 

For  frosting  to  put  between  the  layers  use  the  whites  of 
two  eggs,  the  juice  and  grated  rind  of  one  orange,  and  sugar 
enough  to  make  it  quite  stiff".  It  is  necessary  to  use  consid- 
erable sugar  because  of  the  sourness  of  the  orange. 

Marble  Cake. 

One  cup  and  a  half  of  white  sugar,  half  a  cup  of  butter, 
half  a  cup  of  sweet  milk  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  dis- 
solved in  it,  two  cups  and  a  half  of  flour  with  one  teaspoon- 
ful of  cream-of-tartar,  and  the  whites  of  four  eggs  cut  to  a 
stiff  froth.  Flavor  with  lemon. 

For  the  dark  cake,  take  one  cup  of  nice  coffee-sugar,  one' 
tablespoonful  of  molasses,  half  a  cup  of  butter,  half  a  cup  of 
sour  milk,  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  it, 
two  cups  and  a  half  of  flour,  and  the  beaten  yolks  of  the  four 
eggs.  Add  a  teaspoonful  of  clove,  a  little  allspice,  cinnamon, 
and  nutmeg.  Put  a  layer  of  the  light  cake  in  each  pan,  and 
mix  in  some  of  the  dark,  then  more  of  the  light,  and  so  on, 
till  your  pans  are  half  full,  or  a  little  more. 

Raspberry  Roll. 

Beat  three  eggs,  yolks  and  whites  together,  for  one  or  two 
minutes.  Add  a  cup  of  white  sugar,  and  beat  a  few  minutes 
more.  Then  put  in  one  cup  of  flour  with  a  teaspoonful  of 
cream-of-tartar  mixed  in  it.  Dissolve  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
soda  in  as  little  hot  water  as  possible,  and  stir  in  thoroughly. 
Flavor  with  essence  of  lemon,  and  beat  well  for  a  few  minutes. 
Bake  in  two  rather  wide,  shallow  tins.  Turn  the  sheets  upon 
a  sieve,  and,  while  warm,  spread  a  little  raspberry  or  strawberry 
jam  over  them  ;  roll  .up  the  cake,  and  sift  sugar  over.  This 
should  be  done  carefully.  Cut  in  slices,  when  cold,  for  the 
table. 


58  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Rochester  Jelly-Cake. 

Two  cups  of  sugar,  three  eggs,  two-thirds  of  a  cup  of  but- 
ter, one  cup  of  sweet  milk,  three  cups  of  flour  with  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  cream-of-tartar  mixed  in  it,  half  a  teaspoonful 
of  saleratus  dissolved  in  the  milk.  Add  a  little  salt,  and  fla- 
vor with  essence  of  lemon  or  almond. 

Put  half  the  above  mixture  in  two  square  or  oblong  pans. 
To  the  remainder  add  one  tablespoonful  of  molasses,  one  large 
cup  of  raisins  stoned  and  chopped,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
citron  sliced  fine,  one  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon,  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  clove  and  allspice  each.  Grate  in  a  little  nut- 
meg, and  add  one  spoonful  of  flour.  Put  into  two  pans  of 
the  same  size  and  shape  as  those  above.  Put  the  sheets  to- 
gether while  warm,  alternately,  with  a  little  jelly  or  raspberry 
jam  between.  Cut  in  thin  slices  for  the  table.  It  will  cut 
most  easily  the  day  after  it  is  baked. 

It  may  be  baked  in  one  large  pan,  without  the  fruit,  pour- 
ing in  the  dark  and  light  in  alternate  layers.  When  baked 
thus,  it  is  a  handsome  marble  cake. 

Avon  Snow-Cake. 

One  cup  of  butter,  two  cups  of  sugar,  three  cups  of  flour, 
one  cup  of  sweet  milk,  the  whites  of  five  eggs,  one  teaspoon- 
ful of  cream-of-tartar,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  or 
saleratus.  Bake  in  thin  layers,  like  Washington  pie.  It  is 
usually  baked  for  six  or  seven  layers. 

Peel  and  grate  one  large  cocoanut.  Take  the  whites  of 
three  eggs  for  frosting.  Put  a  layer  of  frosting  and  one  of 
cocoanut  between  each  two  cakes,  and  then  frost  the  top  and 
sides.  Scatter  cocoanut  over  thickly. 

Sandusky  Cake. 

One  cup  of  butter,  two  of  sugar,  three  and  a  half  of  flour, 
one  of  milk,  four  eggs,  one  teaspoonful  of  soda,  two  of  cream- 
of-tartar. 

Dissolve  the  soda  in  the  milk.     Mix  the  cream-of-tartar  in 


VARIOUS   KINDS   OF   CAKE.  59 

the  flour,  and  separate  the  whites  of  the  eggs  from  the  yolks. 
Rub  the  butter  and  sugar  to  a  cream,  then  put  in  the  milk, 
and  add  the  yolks,  one  at  a  time,  beating  them  well.  After- 
wards, add  half  of  the  flour  and  half  of  the  whites,  having 
beaten  them  stiff;  then  the  remainder  of  the  flour  and  the 
whites.  Flavor  with  essence  of  lemon,  or  any  other  essence 
you  prefer.  This  cake  should  be  stirred  very  thoroughly.  It 
is  considered  excellent,  and  resembles  pound-cake. 

Portsmouth  Cake. 

E-ub  to  a  cream  one  cup  of  sugar  and  two-thirds  of  a  cup 
of  butter.  Add  the  yolks  of  three  eggs  and  the  white  of 
one,  beaten  together  two  or  three  minutes.  Add  one  cup  of 
flour,  the  grated  rind  of  a  lemon,  and  a  little  essence  of  lemon. 
Sour  half  a  cup  of  milk  with  half  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  and 
dissolve  in  it  a  teaspoonful  of  soda.  Stir  this  in  thoroughly, 
and  then  add  another  cup  of  flour.  Beat  it  briskly  a  few 
minutes,  and  bake  in  one  large  pan,  or  two  small  ones. 

Magic  Cake. 

Half  a  cup  of  butter,  one  of  .sugar,  one  and  a  half  of 
flour,  three  eggs,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  milk,  one  teaspoonful 
of  cream-of-tartar,  half  a  one  of  saleratus.  Mix  the  cream- 
of-tartar  in  the  flour ;  stir  the  butter  and  sugar  together ; 
beat  the  yolks  and  whites  together  thoroughly.  Stir  all  to- 
gether a  few  minutes.  Bake  in  two  pans.  Flavor  with  al- 
mond.* 

One  Egg  Cake. 

Stir  into  two  heaping  cups  of  flour  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
cream-of-tartar.  E-ub  two  large  spoonfuls  of  butter  into  a 
heaping  cup  of  white  sugar.  Add  a  beaten  egg,  and  a  cup 
of  sweet  milk  in  which  is  dissolved  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  and 
a  pinch  of  salt.  If  you  wish  to  make  marble  cake,  take  part 

*  Burnett's  essences  are  invariably  good. 


60  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

of  the  above  mixture,  and  make  it  dark  with  powdered  spices, 
and  lay  it  in  the  pans  in  streaks  with  the  light  cake. 

Pound. 

A  pound  each  of  flour,  sugar,  and  butter,  ten  eggs,  half  a 
nutmeg,  the  juice  and  part  of  the  rind  of  a  lemon.  Some  per- 
sons use  only  fourteen  ounces  of  butter,  and  add  a  quarter  of  a 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus. 

Cream. 

Stir  one  teacup  of  cream,  and  two  of  sugar  till  well  mixed, 
add  two  eggs  beaten  to  a  froth,  and  a  little  salt.  Dissolve  a 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus  in  a  spoonful  or  two  of  milk,  and  add  it. 
Then,  immediately  put  in  a  cup  or  two  of  flour,  and  some 
essence  of  lemon,  or  other  spice,  and  stir  it  a  little.  Then  add 
flour  enough  to  make  it  as  thick  as  cup  cake  ;  stir  it  well  eight 
or  ten  minutes,  and  bake  in  common  cup-cake  pans. 

Harrison. 

To  two  cups  of  molasses,  put  one  of  brown  sugar,  one  of 
butter,  one  of  sour  cream,  or  milk,  a  cup  of  raisins,  and  one  of 
currants,  a  teaspoonful  of  powdered  clove,  and  two  (rather 
nmall)  of  saleratus. 

To  mix  it,  cut  the  butter  in  little  pieces,  and  put  into  a 
saucepan  with  the  molasses,  to  melt.  "When  the  molasses  boils 
up,  pour  it  immediately  upon  three  or  four  cups  of  flour,  and 
add  the  sugar,  and  half  the  cream.  Stir  it  \v£l,  then  add  the 
saleratus,  the  rest  of  the  cream,  the  spice,  and  flour  enough  to 
make  it  of  the  consistence  of  cup  cake,  and  last,  the  fruit.  Bake 
in  cup-cake  pans,  rather  slowly.  All  cake  containing  molasses 
is  more  liable  to  burn  than  that  which  has  none. 

Park-Street  Cake. 

Two  cups  of  sugar,  three  and  a  half  of  flour,  one  of  milk, 
half  a  cup  of  butter,  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  two  of  cream  of 
tartar,  essence  of  lemon,  add  four  eggs. 


CREAM  CAKES,  COOKIES,  ETC.  61 


CREAM  CAKES,  COOKIES,  WAFERS,  KISSES,  JUEE3LES, 
GINGERBREAD,  ETC. 

The  eggs  for  these  articles,  except  for  the  wafers,  need  not" 
be  broken  separately,  but  yolks  and  whites  may  be  added  with- 
out beating,  after  the  sugar  and  butter  have  been  stirred.  When 
all  has  been  well  beaten  together  eight  or  ten  minutes,  add  part 
of  the  flour,  then  the  saleratus  and  spice  or  ginger ;  and  then 
place  the  pan  upon  a  table,  and  work  in  flour  enough  to  enable 
you  to  handle  it  without  its  sticking. 

Dough  for  cookies  or  gingerbread,  is  much  more  easily  and 
neatly  rolled  out  and  stamped  the  day  after  it  is  made,  than  on 
the  same  day.  In  cold  weather,  set  it  when  made  where  it 
will  not  become  hard,  or  else  bring  it  into  a  warm  room  an  hour 
or  two  before  it  is  to  be  rolled  out.  Cookies  should  be  about 
as  thick  as  the  end  of  your  little  finger;  gingerbread  half 
as  thick.  These  things  bake  very  quickly,  and  should  be  care- 
fully attended  to.  Sugar  gingerbread  should  be  cut  up  as  it 
lies  in  the  pan,  before  it  has  time  to  cool,  and  laid  upon  a 
sieve.  It  cannot  be  cut  after  it  is  cold  without  being  very  much 
broken. 

Cream  Cakes. 

A  pint  of  water,  half  a  pound  of  butter,  three-quarters  of  a 
pound  of  flour,  and  eight  eggs.  Boil  the  water,  melt  the  but- 
ter in  it,  stir  in  ^ie  flour  dry  while  it  boils ;  when  it  is  cool, 
add  the  yolks  and  then  the  whites,  beaten  separately.  Drop 
the  mixture  on  buttered  tins  with  a  table-spoon,  and  bake 
twenty  minutes. 

To  make  ihe  inside,  take  one  cup  of  flour,  two  cups  of  sugar, 
one  quart  of  milk,  and  two  eggs.  Beat  the  flour,  sugar,  and 
eggs  together,  and  stir  into  the  boiling  milk.  When  the  mix- 
ture is  sufficiently  scalded,  season  it  with  lemon  or  vanilla. 

When  the  cakes  are  cool,  cut  them  open  and  add  the  cream. 


62  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FEIEND. 

Cookies. 

One  tea-cup  of  butter,  three  of  sugar,  half  a  cup  of  milk  of 
cream,  three  eggs,  one  small  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  and  flour 
to  make  it  rather  stiff.  Flavor  with  nutmeg  and  cinnamon. 

NOTE.  —  Kice  brown  sugar  is  better  than  granulated  in 
cookies.  • 


Another. 

Two  cups  of  butter,  three  of  sugar,  one  of  sour  milk  or  cream, 
one  nutmeg,  three  eggs,  one  large  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  and 
flour  enough  to  roll  out.  These  cookies  should  not  be  rolled 
thin. 

Soft  Cookies. 

One  heaping  cup  of  butter,  one  and  a  half  of  sugar,  two 
eggs,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  sour  milk,  a  small  teaspoonful  of 
soda,  and  as  little  flour  as  will  roll  them  out.  Do  not  roll 
them  thin.  Sprinkle  sugar  over  before  cutting  out,  and  press 
it  in  slightly  with  the  rolling-pin; 

English  Seed-Cakes. 

Dry  three  cups  of  flour  in  the  oven.  Add  a  cup  of  sugar, 
half  a  cup  of  milk,  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  a  large 
spoonful  of  butter  melted,  one  egg,  and  a  spoonful  of  caraway- 
seeds.  Roll  out  thin. 

Wafers. 

One  cup  of  butter,  two  of  sugar,  half  a  cup  of  new  milk,  threfe 
eggs,  hah0  a  nutmeg,  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  one  teaspoonful  of 
saleratus,  and  flour  enough  to  roll  out.  If  you  prefer,  flavoi 
with  a  few  drops  of  essence  of  rose  and  ground  cinnamon.  Roll 
the  dough  very  thin,  sprinkle  granulated  white  sugar  over  it, 
and  slightly  press  it  into  the  dough  with  the  rolling-pin.  Thee 
cut  in  large  rounds,  and  bake  quickly. 


TUNBRIDGE   WAFERS.  —  KISSES.  —  MACAROONS,   ETC.         63 

Tunbridge  Wafers. 

Bub  one  cup  of  butter  (pressed  compactly  into  the  cup) 
into  five  cups  of  flour ;  then  add  one  heaping  cup  of  granu- 
lated sugar,  not  quite  a  cup  of  sweet  rich  milk,  two  beaten 
eggs,  one  nutmeg,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  dissolved 
in  the  milk.  Knead  it  until  smooth,  roll  it  out  very  thin ; 
sift  over  it  a  little  fine  sugar ;  then  cut  out  round  cakes,  as 
large  as  the  top  of  a  tumbler ;  lay  them  in  the  pans,  and 
prick  them  with  a  fork.  Bake  in  a  quick  oven,  but  take  care 
they  do  not  burn. 

Kisses. 

Beat  the  whites  of  three  fresh  eggs  to  a  stiff  froth,  then 
mix  with  it  five  spoonfuls  of  finest  white  sugar,  and  flavor 
with  essence  of  lemon.  Have  ready  a  nice  pan  buttered, 
in  which  lay  white  paper,  and  drop  them  on  it  with  a  tea- 
spoon, and  sift  sugar  over  them.  Bake  in  a  slow  oven  half 
an  hour.  This  measure  will  make  a  cake-basket  full. 

Macaroons. 

Blanch  a  half  a  pound  of  sweet  almonds,  and  pound  them 
fine  with  a  little  rose-water  or  orange-flower  water.  Beat  very 
stiff  the  whites  of  three  eggs,  and  stir  in  half  a  pound  of 
powdered  sugar.  Mix  well,  and  then  add  the  almonds. 
Drop  with  a  teaspoon  upon  buttered  tin  sheets,  sift  fine  sugar 
over,  and  bake  in  a  slack  oven. 

Cocoamit  Drops. 

Grate  a  cocoanut,  and  weigh  it,  then  add  half  the  weight  of 
powdered  sugar,  and  the  white  of  one  egg  cat  to  a  stiff  froth. 
Stir  the  ingredients  together,  then  drop  the  mixture  with  a 
dessert  spoon  upon  buttered  white  paper,  or  tin  sheets,  and  sift 
sujnir  over  them.  Bake  in  a  slow  oven  fifteen  minutes. 


64  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Fruit  Jumbles. 

To  one  heaping  cup  of  butter,  put  two  of  sugar,  three  and 
a  half  of  flour,  half  a  cup  of  milk,  three  eggs,  a  cup  of  cur- 
rants, and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus.  Grate  in  half  a 
nutmeg.  T3ake  in  broad,  shallow  pans,  and  cut  the  sheets  in 
square  pieces  while  warm. 

Hard  Sugar  Gingerbread. 

Two  cups  of  butter,  four  of  sugar,  two  eggs,  a  cup  and  a 
half  of  milk,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  ginger,  and  one  of  saleratus. 
Flour  to  make  rather  a  stiff  dough. 

Another  (very  plain). 

Ten  ounces  of  butter,  twenty  ounces  of  sugar,  a  cup  and  a 
half  of  milk,  four  teaspoonfuls  of  ginger,  one  large  teaspoonful 
of  saleratus,  a  few  drops  of  essence  of  rose,  or  half  a  cup  of 
rose-water ;  in  which  case  omit  the  half  cup  of  milk. 

Soft  Sugar  Gingerbread. 

Two  pounds  of  flour,  one  of  butter,  one  and  a  half  of  sugar, 
seven  eggs,  half  a  gill  of  rose-water  or  wine.  To  be  baked  in 
such  pans  as  are  used  for  cup  cake.  This  keeps  good  a  long 
time,  and  is  very  nice. 

Another  (without  eggs). 

One  pound  of  butter,  two  of  sugar,  three  of  flour,  a  pint  of 
milk,  a  large  spoonful  of  ginger,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  cream  of 
tartar  mixed  in  the  flour,  and  one  teaspoonful  of  saleratus. 
Stir  the  butter  arid  sugar  to  a  cream,  then  add  half  of  the  milk, 
and  a  large  part  of  the  flour ;  then  the  remainder  of  the  milk 
having  the  saleratus  dissolved  in  it,  and  the  rest  of  the  flour. 
Make  half  the  quantity  for  a  small  family.  Bake  it  in  cup-cake 
pans. 


& 


GINGER   CRACKERS  —  GINGERBREAD. 

Ginger  Crackers. 

A  pint  of  molasses,  two  cups  of  butter,  one  and  a  half  of 
sugar,  one  tcaspoonful  of  saleratus,  and  two  of  ginger  ;  add  flour 
enough  to  make  it  easy  to  roll  out.  Stir  the  butter  and  sugar 
together,  boil  the  molasses  and  pour  it  into  the  pan,  and  stir 
steadily  until  the  butter  and  sugar  are  melted,  then  put  in  a  few 
handfuls  of  flour,  and  add  the  saleratus.  Stir  it  a  few  minutes, 
and  then  work  in  all  the  flour.  To  be  rolled  very  thin,  and 
baked  but  a  few  minutes. 

New  York  Ginger  Snaps. 

Half  a  pound  each  of  butter  and  sugar,  two  and  a  half 
pounds  of  flour,  a  pint  of  molasses,  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus, 
caraway  seeds,  or  ginger.  Mix  it  just  like  the  ginger  crack- 
ers, and  bake  them  thin. 

Boston  Ginger-Snaps. 

Boil  together  fifteen  minutes  one  cup  of  molasses,  and  one 
of  brown  sugar ;  then  pour  into  a  dish,  and  melt  in  it  a  cup 
of  butter.  Add  a  cup  of  milk  or  water  (water  makes  them 
brittle),  two  even  teaspoonfuls  of  soda,  and  salt  and  ginger  to 
suit  your  taste.  Flour  to  roll  out.  They  should  be  rolled 
very  thin. 

Soft  Molasses  Gingerbread. 

One  cup  and  a  half  of  molasses,  one  of  beef-shortening  or 
butter,  or  half  of  each,  two  cups  of  sour  milk,  half  cup  of 
brown  sugar,  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of  saleratus.  Have  ready 
in  a  pan  two  or  three  cups  of  flour,  with  the  sugar,  a  little 
ginger,  and  cinnamon ;  and  when  you  have  boiled  up  the  mo- 
lasses, butter,  and  shortening,  pour  it  upon. the  ingredients 
in  the  pan,  and  stir  well.  Then  add  the  sour  milk  and 
saleratus,  and  flour  enough  to  make  it  as  thick  as  cup-cake. 
Gingerbread  is  as  much  improved  by  being  thorough- 
ly beaten,  as  any  other  cake.  You  can  make  it  more  deli- 


'66  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

cate  by  using  butter  only,  adding  the  juice  of  a  lemon  to  sour 
the  milk,  and  using  grated  nutmeg  instead  of  ginger.  On  the 
other  hand,  very  good  gingerbread  is  made  by  omitting  the 
butter,  and  using  shortening  instead,  and  cold  water  or  cider 
in  place  of  the  sour  milk.  A  teaspoonful  of  salt  is  necessary 
where  the  butter  is  omitted. 

Hard  Molasses  Gingerbread, 

A  half  a  pint  of  molasses,  a  gill  of  butter,  half  a  gill  of  nice 
drippings,  half  a  gill  of  sour  milk,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  saleratus, 
and  the  same  of  ginger.  Melt  the  butter,  drippings,  and  mo- 
lasses together,  and  pour  hot  upon  a  quart  of  flour  ;  add  the 
ginger  and  saleratus,  and  when  well  hiixed  add  more  flour  until 
it  can  be  handled  without  sticking.  Then  roll  it  out  about  as 
thick  as  the  little  finger,  stamp  or  mark  it,  and  bake  it  in  shal- 
low iron  or  tin  pans.  Bake  it  in  a  moderate  heat.  When 
done,  cut  it  up  before  you  take  it  out  of  the  pans,  as  it  cannot 
be  done  after  it  is  cold  without  crumbling  the  edges. 

If  you  prefer  to  have  it  thin,  and  cut  into  rounds  like  cookies, 
it  is  a  very  good  way. 

By  omitting  the  sour  milk  ana  adding  a  cup  of  sugar,  a  rather 
nicer  gingerbread  is  made. 

Another. 

Melt  one  cup  of  butter  in  two  of  molasses,  pour  it  hot  upon 
a  quart  of  flour ;  dissolve  one  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  in  a  little 
hot  water  and  add  it.  Put  in  flour  enough  to  roll  it  out  neatly. 
Make  it  very  thin,  cut  it  in  rounds,  and  bake  it  quick.  These 
cakes  are  very  crisp,  and  keep  so  in  a  tin  chest. 


FRIED    CAKES. 

On  Frying  Cakes, 

To  have  fried  cakes  good,  it  is  necessary  tfiat  the  fat  should 
be  of  the  right  heat.  When  it  is  hot  enough,  it  will  cease  to 
bubble,  and  be  perfectly  still.  It  is  best  to  try  it  with  a  little 


CRULLERS,   ETC.  67 

bit  of  the  cake  to  be  fried.  If  the  heat  is  right,  the  dough  will 
rise  in  a  few  seconds  to  the  top,  and  occasion  a  bubbling  in  the 
fat;  it  will  swell,  and  the  under-side  quickly  become  brown.  It 
should  then  be  turned  over.  Cakes  should  be  turned  two  or 
three  times.  The  time  necessary  to  fry  them,  depends  on  their 
thickness ;  if  about  as  thick  as  the  little  finger,  they  will  be 
done  in  seven  or  eight  minutes.  It  is  best  to  break  open  one, 
in  order  to  judge.  When  done,  drain  them  well  with  a  skim- 
mer. If  the  fat  is  too  hot,  the  outside  will  be  burned  before 
the  centre  is  cooked  at  all ;  if  too  cool,  they  will  become  fat- 
soaked,  which  makes  them  very  unhealthy  and  disagreeable. 
The  fire  must  be  carefully  regulated.  A  person  who  fries 
cakes  must  attend  to  nothing  else  ;  the  cakes,  the  fat,  and  the  fire 
will  occupy  every  minute.  The  use  of  many  eggs  prevents 
cakes  from  absorbing  much  fat.  But  they  can  be  so  made 
without  eggs,  as  not  to  take  up  much  fat: 

Crullers. 

To  two  pounds  of  flour,  put  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of 
sugar,  half  a  pound  of  butter,  nine  eggs,  mace,  and  rose-water 
unless  the  butter  has  been  kept  in  rose  leaves. 

Another. 

To  six  teacups  of  flour,  put  two  of  sugar,  half  a  one  of  but- 
ter, half  a  one  of  cream,  eight  eggs,  one  nutmeg;  or  if  more 
convenient,  nine  eggs,  no  cream,  and  a  full  cup  of  butter. 

Ellen's  Doughnuts. 

Rub  a  piece  of  "butter  large  as  an  egg,  into  one  cup  and  a 
half  of  sugar.  Add  a  beaten  egg.  Mix  in  two  cups  of  flour, 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  dissolve  in  two  cups 
of  sweet  milk,  a  teaspoonful  of  soda.  Stir  in  the  milk  and 
flour  gradually.  Flavor  with  cinnamon  and  extract  of  lemon. 
Add  flour  enough  to  mould  and  roll  out.  Fry  in  nice  beef 
drippings,  or  lard.  Half  the  above  measure  is  sufficient  for 
a  small  family. 


68  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Rochester  Doughnuts. 

One  cup  of  sour  milk,  two  oT  sugar,  a  piece  of  butter  large 
as  a  nut,  one  teaspooiiful  of  soda,  spice,  and  flour  to  roll  out. 

Raised  Doughnuts. 

Boil  a  quart  of  milk,  and  rub  smooth  in  a  little  cold  milk  a 
large  gill  of  ground  rice  ;  when  the  milk  boils  up,  stir  in  the 
rice  and  a  little  salt.  Let  it  boil  till  it  thickens,  stirring  it  two 
or  three  times.  Pour  it,  hot,  upon  a  quart  of  flour  ;  when  cool 
enough,  add  a  gill  of  yeast,  and  flour  enough  to  make  it  stiff  as 
bread.  Knead  it  a  great  deal.  Let  it  rise  over  night,  and 
when  very  light,  work  in  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  butter,  a 
pound  and  a  half  of  sugar  beaten  in  five  eggs,  and  add  nutmeg 
and  lemon,  juice  and  rind.  Let  it  rise  again,  and  then  roll  out 
and  fry  it. 

Light  bread  dough,  which  is  wet  with  milk,  may  be  made  into 
plain,  or  rich  dough-nuts,  as  preferred,  with  very  little  trouble. 
Prepare  the  dough  as  directed  in  the  receipt  for  rusk,  and  add 
two  or  three  eggs,  if  convenient.  It  is  not  necessary. 

Fried  Biscuit. 

Work  a  piece  of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg  into  a  large  pint  of 
light  bread  dough.  When  it  has  risen  again,  roll  it  very  thin, 
cut  it  into  circles  or  squares,  and  fry  them  for  breakfast.  Eat 
them  with  salt,  or  with  cider  and  sugar.  All  crullers  and  dough- 
nuts are  much  more  healthful  fried  in  clarified  drippings  of 
roast  meat,  than  in  lard ;  and  it  is,  besides,  good  economy. 


ON    MAKING-    PASTRY. 

The  flour,  as  in  making  bread  or  cake,  should  be  sifted.  The 
best  looking  pastry  is  made  with  lard,  but  it  is  not  so  healthy  or 
good,  as  that  which  is  made  with  half  or  two  thirds  butter. 
Whichever  you  use,  rub  a  third  of  it  into  the  flour,  but  do  not 
try  to  rub  out  every  lump  ;  the  less  the  hands  are  used,  the  bet- 


_ON  MAKING  PASTRY.  59 

ter.  Add  cold  water ;  in  summer,  ice  water.  If  your  crust  is 
shortened  wholly  with  lard,  allow  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  a 
pound  (or  quart)  of  flour,  and  a  small  teaspoonful  of  saleratus 
to  every  three  pounds.  Sprinkle  the  salt  into  the  flour,  and 
dissolve  the  saleratus  in  the  water.  If  butter  only  or  chiefly  is 
used,  omit  the  saleratus.  When  you  have  put  in  the  water,  stir 
it  quickly,  rather  stiff,  with  a  knife.  Do  not  mould  it ;  it  will 
make  it  tough  ;  but  when  it  is  barely  stirred  together,  put  it  on 
the  board,  roll  it  out,  lay  thin  shavings  of  butter  on  every  part, 
sprinkle  a  little  flour  over  it,  and  roll  it  out  again  then  lay  on 
butter  as  before.  To  avoid  much  handling  of  the  crust,  roll  it 
<BO  thin  that  all  the  butter  will  be  taken  up  by  two  or  three 
times  rolling  in.  When  it  is  all  rolled  in,  fold  up  the  crust  in  a 
long  roll,  and  double  it,  laying  the  ends  together ;  then  lay  it 
aside,  and  cut  from  it  for  each  pie.  In  rolling  out  for  the  plates 
press  the  pin  equally,  so  as  to  make  all  parts  of  the  same  thick- 
ness, and  as  nearly  circular  as  possible.  Have  the  plates  ready 
buttered,  or  greased  with  lard,  lay  in  the  crust,  and  see  that  all 
parts  touch  the  plate.  Take  the  dish  up  on  the  palm  of  the  left 
hand,  and  with  the  right  trim  the  edges,  holding  the  knife  under 
and  aslant,  and  so  cut  the  crust  that  the  edge  of  the  dish  will 
be  perfectly  covered.  People  differ  in  regard  to  the  proper 
thickness  of  pie-crust.  A  pie  in  which  the  fruit  constitutes 
one  third  of  the  thickness,  and  the  two  crusts  the  other  two 
thirds,  although  it  may  look  more  elegant,  is  neither  so  health- 
ful or  good  as  one  made  with  thinner  crust  and  plenty  of  fruit. 
Some  fruit  requires  thicker  crust  than  others  ;  for  apple,  peach, 
and  pumpkin  it  should  be  thin  as  a  common  earthen  plate ;  for 
juicy  fruits,  such  as  berries,  cherries,  currants,  plums,  and  for 
mince,  it  should  be  a  little  thicker.  Lay  some  of  the  trimmings 
round  the  rim  of  the  plate  to  make  the  edge  of  the  pie  hand- 
some, and  put  the  rest  by  themselves,  and  when  there  are 
enough,  roll  them  out  for  an  under-crust. 

In  making  cherries,  currants,  &c.,  into  pies,  use  deep  dishes, 
and  be  careful  not  to  fill  them  even  full,  as  the  syrup  will  boil 
over,  and  thus,  much  of  the  richness  of  the  pie  be  lost.  There 
is  one  way  effectually  to  prevent  the  loss  of  syrup.  After  you 


70  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

have  laid  in  the  fruit,  or  mince,  and  rolled  out  the  upper-crust, 
wet  the  rim  of  the  under-crust  all  around  with  cold  water  riot 
omitting  a  single  spot,  (if  you  do  the  syrup  will  escape  at  that 
spot),  and  sprinkle  a  very  little  flour  upon  it,  lay  the  trimming 
upon  the  rim,  wet  and  flour  that  in  the  same  manner,  then  lay 
the  upper-crust  immediately  over,  and  press  it  down  gently 
upon  the  rim.  The  flour  and  water  act  as  a  paste  to  fasten 
the  crusts  together.  Trim  the  edge  as  before,  and  prick  the 
top  eight  or  ten  times  with  a  fork.  This  is  necessary  for  the 
escape  of  the  steam,  and  without  it,  the  closing  of  the  edge  will 
not  avail  to  keep  in  the  syrup.  It  is  a  good  way  to  invert  a 
teacup  in  the  centre  of  a  juicy  fruit-pie,  as  in  making  an  oyster- 
pie. 

A  clammy  lower  crust  is  neither  good  or  digestible.  There- 
fore never  fill  pies  made  of  moist  materials  until  just  before 
putting  them  into  the  oven.  Squash  pies,  cocoanut,  and  Marl- 
borough  puddings,  &c.,  should  not  be  filled  until  the  last  min- 
ute, and  mince  and  stewed  apple  should  only  stand  long  enough 
for  the  upper  crust  to  be  laid  on.  Pie-crust  becomes  yellow 
from  standing  long  before  being  baked  ;  therefore,  delay  rolling 
out  the  upper  crust  for  any  kind  of  pies  until  the  oven  is  nearly 
ready.  Pastry  should  be  baked  in  a  quick  oven,  to  be  light, 
and  be  slightly  browned  to  be  healthy.  When  you  bake  pump- 
kin and  similar  kinds  of  pies,  if  you  have  the  least  doubt  whether 
the  crust  is  well  done,  set  the  dishes  a  few  minutes  on  embers, 
or  the  top  of  a  cooking  stove.  This  sort  of  pies  requires  nearly 
an  hour  to  bake ;  more,  if  the  dishes  are  very  deep.  When 
done  enough,  the  top  will  be  gently  swelled  all  over,  and  in 
moving,  tremble  like  jelly ;  if  not  done,  the  middle  will  look 
like  a  thick  liquid.  Most  pies  require  an  hour  to  bake  ;  those 
made  of  stewed  apple  or  cranberry,  three  quarters  of  an  hour. 
Much  depends  on  the  kind  of  oven  used. 

It  is  difficult  to  make  flaky  crust  in  warm  weather.  But 
cooling  the  butter  and  water  with  ice,  and  having  the  pastry- 
table  in  the  cellar,  will  insure  tolerable  success. 

There  is  hardly  another  article  of  food  in  which  so  much  is 


HIGH   PUFF    PASTE.  71 

sacrificed  to  appearance  as  in  pastry.  Everybody  likes  a  light 
crust,  a  little  brown,  and  not  excessively  rich,  better  than  one 
that  is  hah0  butter  or  lard,  and  baked  white. 

Cherries  should  t  not  be.  stewed  or  stoned  for  pies.  Apples, 
after  they  are  pared,  cut,  and  cored,  should  be  washed.  Steam 
pumpkin  and  squash,  or  stew  it  with  very  little  water.  Meat 
for  pies  must  not  be  chopped  till  after  it  is  cold. 

After  a  little  practice  and  observation,  it  will  be  just  as  well 
to  omit  weighing  the  materials  for  pastry.  One  very  heaping 
handful  of  flour  will  make  a  common-sized  pie ;  not,  however, 
allowing  for  the  flour  to  be  used  in  rolling  the  paste. 

When  all  the  pies  but  the  last  one  are  ma.de,  scrape  the  re- 
mains of  crust  from  the  moulding-board  and  the  rolling-pin,  and 
add  any  parings  of  edges  that  you  have,  work  them  together, 
and  use  for  the  under-crust. 

For  almost  all  kinds  of  pies,  good  brown  sugar  is  nice 
enough.  The  Havana  is  seldom  clean.  The  Porto-Rico  and 
Santa  Cruz  are  considered  the  best.  The  New  Orleans  is  very 
sweet. 

The  very  early  apples,  when  used  for  pies  or  sauce,  should 
not  be  pared,  as  the  greatest  part  of  the  richness  of  the  fruit,  at 
that  season,  is  in  the  skin.  Some  kinds  are  so  delicate,  that 
when  stewed,  the  skin  is  entirely  absorbed  in  the  pulp,  so  as 
not  to  be  visible,  and  the  color,  if  it  is  red,  is  beautifully  dif- 
fused through  the  whole  mass. 

Rich  Puff  Paste. 

For  three  pints  of  flour  allow  one  pound  of  butter.  Di- 
vide it  into  three  parts ;  reserve  one-third  of  the  flour  for  use 
in  rolling  in  two  parts.  Rub  one-third  of  the  butter  into  the 
two  parts,  add  enough  ice-water-to  make  a  stiff  dough,  stir- 
ring with  a  knife  ;  then  roll  out  thin,  and  put  the  butter  in 
little  bits  over  it ;  sprinkle  a  handful  of  flour  over  the  butter, 
fold  the  crust  over  and  over,  and  repeat  this  process  till  all  the 
butter  is  used.  If  one-third  lard  is  to  be  used,  rub  it  in  be- 
fore the  ice-water  is  added,  and  put  a  te.aspoonful  of  salt  into 
the  water. 


72  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Good  Pie-crust. 

Take  two  cups  light  bread-dough,  made  with  milk  and  wa- 
ter, and  well  kneaded.  Roll  it  out  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick, 
lay  on  bits  of  butter  about  half  an  inch  apart,  sprinkle  with 
flour  slightly,  and  fold  it  over  and  over.  Roll  out  again,  and 
distribute  the  butter  and  flour  as  before.  Fold,  press  it 
down  with  the  rolling-pin,  cut  off,  and  roll  out  for  your  pie- 
dishes. 

Potato-crust. 

Boil  six  good-sized  mealy  potatoes,  and  mash  them  fine ; 
add  salt,  a  spoonful  of  butter  and  two  of  water  while  they  are 
hot.  Then  work  in  flour  enough  for  making  a  paste  to  roll 
out,  or  put  in  two  or  three  spoonfuls  of  cream,  and  no  butter  or 
water.  This  is  a  good  crust  for  pot-pies  or  dumplings. 

PIES. 

Of  Stewed  Apple. 

Stew  the  apple  with  water  enough  to  prevent  its  burning ; 
sweeten  and  flavor  it  to  your  taste,  and,  while  it  is  hot,  add  but- 
ter in  the  proportion  of  a  dessert  spoonful  to  a  quart  of  apple. 
The  spices  most  appropriate  are  nutmeg  and  lemon,  cinnamon 
and  orange.  Two  kinds  are  enough  ;  one  does  very  well. 
When  you  have  laid  the  under  crust  in  the  plate,  roll  out  the 
upper  one,  so  that  it  may  be  laid  on  the  moment  the  apple  is  put 
in,  as  the  under  crust  will  be  clammy  if  the  pie  is  not  put  im- 
mediately into  the  oven. 

Meringue  Pie. 

Pare  and  quarter  fourteen  or  eighteen  fair  sour  apples; 
weigh  them,  and  make  a  syrup  of  the  same  weight  of  sugar  and 
a  little  water.  Grate  off  the  outside  of  a  lemon  and  set  it 
aside  ;  take  out  the  seeds,  cut  up  the  inside,  and  put  it  into  the 
syrup.  When  the  syrup  is  boiled  clear,  lay  in  half  of  the  ap- 
ples and  boil  them,  but  not  till  they  are  very  soft.  Take  them 


PIES.  73 

out  carefully,  and  lay  them  separately  on  a  dish,  so  as  not  to 
break  them.  Stew  the  rest  of  the  apples,  and  when  they  are 
taken  out,  boil  the  syrup  a  little  while  longer.  Have  ready 
two  deep  dishes,  with  nice  paste,  put  the  apple  into  them  in 
form  of  a  half-sphere  or  pyramid,  the  quarters  in  tiers  out- 
side, and  the  broken  apple  inside ;  then  sprinkle  the  grated 
lumon  over  the  top,  and  pour  on  some  of  the  syrup.  Bake  in 
a  quick  oven  half  an  hour,  then  spread  over  the  top  the 
whites  of  three  eggs  beaten  to  a  stiff  froth  with  half  a  cup 
of  sugar  and  a  little  essence  o£  lemon,  and  return  to  the  oven 
a  few  minutes  to  brown. 

Of  uncooked  Apples. 

To  eat  immediately,  the  following  is  excellent.  Lay  the  slices 
into  the  plate  upon  an  under  crust ;  fill  it  quite  full ;  sprinkle 
the  rim  with  a  little  flour,  to  prevent  the  upper  crust  from  ad- 
hering to  the  under  one.  Bake  forty  minutes,  or  till  the  apple 
is  tender,  and  then  slide  off  the  upper  crust  and  add  a  small  bit 
of  butter,  some  nutmeg  or  lemon,  and  sugar  to  your  taste.  Mix 
them  well  with  the  apple  with  a  silver  spoon,  and  return  the 
upper  crust  to  its  place. 

Another. 

The  other  method  is  to  lay  the  apples  into  a  deep  dish  with 
an  under  crust,  and  for  a  large  family,  no  matter  how  large  a 
dish  is  used ;  grate  a  whole  or  half  nutmeg  over,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  pie,  or  if  you  have  a  fresh  orange,  cut  small  the 
peel  of  half  a  one,  and  sprinkle  in  with  the  apple  ;  add  a  few  sticks 
of  cinnamon,  a  few  little  bits  of  butter,  and  lastly,  put  on  as 
much  sugar  as  your  judgment  directs.  Cover  it,  and  close  the 
edge,  so  that  the  syrup  will  not  escape.  Bake  from  an  hour  and 
a  half  to  two  hours. 

Another  (sweetened  with  molasses). 

Make  a  plain  crust,  and  line  a  deep  dish  ;  fill  it  with  sliced 
apples,  grate  a  good  deal  of  nutmeg  over  them,  and  lay  on  two 
or  three  thin  shavings  of  butter.  Then  pour  over  a  teacupful 


74  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

or  two  of  good  molasses,  according  to  the  size  of  the  pie  •,  lay 
011  the  upper  crust,  and  close  it  so  that  the  syrup  cannot  escape. 
Bake  it  two  hours  and  a  half. 

For  directions  how  to  make  a  pie  of  Dried  Apples,  see  the 
receipt  for  stewing  them. 

Whortleberry. 

Fill  the  dish  not  quite  even  full,  and  to  each  pie  of  the  size 
of  a  large  soup  plate,  add  four  large  spoonfuls  of  sugar  (for 
blackberries  and  blueberries,  five).  Dredge  a  very  little  flour 
over  the  fruit  before  you  lay  on  the  upper  crust.  Close  the 
edge  with  special  care. 

Cherry. 

The  common  red  cherry  makes  the  best  pie.  Bake  it  in  a 
deep  dish.  Use  sugar  in  the  proportion  directed  for  blackber- 
ries. All  cherries,  except  the  very  sweet  ones,  are  good  for  pies. 

Cranberry. 

Take  the  sauce  as  prepared  to  eat  with  meat ;  grate  a  little 
nutmeg  over  it,  put  three  or  four  thin  shavings  of  butter  on  it, 
and  then  lay  on  the  upper  crust.  If  not  sweet  enough,  add 
more  sugar.  Make  it  without  an  upper  crust,  if  you  prefer,  and 
lay  very  narrow  strips  across  diagonally. 

Green  Currants  and  Gooseberries. 

These  require  a  great  deal  of  sugar,  at  least  two  thirds  as 
much  in  measure  as  of  fruit.  Currant  pies  should  be  made  in 
a  deep  plate  or  a  pudding  dish,  and  with  an  upper  crust. 

Gooseberries  should  be  stewed  like  cranberries,  sweetened  to 
suit  the  taste,  and  laid  upon  the  under  crust,  with  strips  placed 
diagonally  across  the  top,  as  directed  for  the  cranberry  tarts. 
Currants  that  are  almost  ripe  make  a  nice  pie,  and  require  the 
same  measure  of  sugar  as  blackberries. 


PIES  —  LEMON,  ETC.  75 

Lemon  He  (with  frosting). 

Allow  the  grated  rind  and  juice  of  two  lemons,  two  cups  of 
sugar,  three  eggs,  and  a  piece  of  butter  as  large  as  an  egg. 
Rub  smooth  in  some  cold  water  two  tablespoonfuls  of  corn- 
starch  or  maizena.  Have  ready  two  cups  of  boiling  water  in 
a  saucepan,  and  stir  into  it  the  corn-starch  until  it  looks 
clear.  Then  pour  into  a  dish,  and  add  the  sugar  and  but- 
ter. When  it  becomes  nearly  cool,  add  the  yolks  of  the  three 
eggs  and  one  of  the  whites,  beaten  together,  the  grated  rind 
and  juice  of  the  lemons,  and  bake  in  two  squash-pie  plates  of 
medium  size,  lined  with  a  delicate  crust.  Beat  up  the  two 
whites  with  two  spoonfuls  of  sugar  very  stiff;  spread  this 
over  the  pies  after  they  are  baked ;  sprinkle  with  sugar,  and 
brown  a  few  moments  in  the  oven. 

Rich  Mince. 

To  one  beef's  tongue,  allow  a  pound  of  suet,  a  pound  of  cur- 
rants, another  of  raisins,  a  pound  and  a  quarter  of  sugar,  half  a 
pound  of  citron,  eight  large  apples,  a  quart  of  wine  or  boiled 
cider,  salt,  a  nutmeg,  cinnamon,  cloves,  the  juice  and  pulp  of  a 
lemon,  and  the  rind  chopped  fine.  Let  the  meat  be  chopped 
very  fine,  then  add  the  apples  and  chop  them  fine  also.  Put 
the  sugar  into  the  cider  or  wine,  and  just  boil  it  up  so  as  to  skim 
off  the  top  ;  let  it  stand  a  few  minutes,  and  then  pour  it  off  into 
a  pan  containing  all  the  other  ingredients.  Be  careful,  in  pour- 
ing it,  not  to  disturb  any  sediment  there  may  be  from  the  sugar. 
Use  loaf  sugar  if  you  choose. 

Another  (not  as  rich). 

Chop  the  meat,  apples,  and  suet  separately,  and  then  measure 
the  ingredients  thus :  three  bowls  of  meat,  three  of  apple,  one  of 
suet,  one  of  citron  cut  small,  two  of  raisins,  four  of  sugar,  one  of 
molasses,  one  of  vinegar,  one  of  some  kind  of  syrup  (quince  or 
peach),  or  wine  instead,  if  you  prefer.  Add  powdered  clove, 
nutmeg  and  cinnamon  to  suit  the  taste. 

*  For  Custard  Pies,  see  pages  100  and  107. 


76  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Temperance. 

Boil  five  pounds  of  meat  in  water  enough  to  have  one  quart 
when  it  is  done  ;  chop  the  meat  very  fine  when  it  is  cold,  and  add 
a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  suet,  or  salt  pork,  three  pounds  and  a  half 
of  sugar,  three  of  chopped  apple,  two  and  a  half  of  box  raisins 
and  one  of  Sultana  raisins,  one  of  citron,  and  a  pint  of  syrup  of 
preserved  peach,  quince,  or  both ;  or  any  other  syrup  you  may 
have ;  add  salt,  nutmeg,  and  powdered  clove.  To  mix  the  in- 
gredients, remove  the  fat  from  the  juice  of  the  meat  and  put  it 
into  a  kettle  with  the  apple,  sugar,  raisins,  and  citron,  and  let 
them  boil  a  few  minutes ;  if  froth  rises,  take  it  off ;  have  the 
meat  ready  in  a  pan  mixed  with  the  spices,  pour  the  mixture 
boiling  hot  upon  it,  and  stir  it  together ;  add,  if  you  choose,  the 
juice  and  pulp  of  three  lemons.  This  process  cooks  the  ingre- 
dients so  thoroughly  that,  if  you  prefer,  you  can  bake  the  paste 
first  and  then  fill  the  dishes  ;  and  if  you  choose  to  reserve  part 
of  it,  it  will  keep  in  a  cool  place  several  weeks. 

Very  Plain. 

These  may  be  made  of  almost  any  cheap  pieces  of  meat,  boiled 
till  tender ;  add  suet  or  salt  pork  chopped  very  fine,  half  or  two 
thirds  as  much  apple  as  meat ;  sugar  and  spices  to  your  taste. 
If  mince  pies  are  eaten  cold  it  is  better  to  use  salt  pork  than 
suet.  A  lemon,  and  a  little  syrup  of  sweetmeats  will  greatly 
improve  them.  Clove  is  the  most  important  spice.  Use  cider. 

Without  Suet 

Boil  up  a  quart  of  good  brown  sugar  in  three  pints  of  cider  ; 
set  it  off,  and  after  a  few  minutes  take  off  the  scum ;  then  put  in 
a  pint  of  chopped  meat,  a  quart  of  chopped  apple,  and  four  large 
crackers  pounded  and  sifted.  Add  a  grated  nutmeg,  a  large 
teaspoonful  of  powdered  clove,  and  any  other  spice  you  prefer? 
Make  the  mixture  more  sweet  if  you  choose.  Boil  it  again  four 
or  five  minutes.  This  will  not  keep  so  long  as  mince  which 
contains  no  cracker. 


PIES  — PEACH.  RHUBAEB,   ETC.  77 

Without  Meat. 

To  twelve  apples  chopped  fine,  add  six  beaten  eggs,  and  a 
half  pint  of  cream.  Put  in  spice,  sugar,  raisins  or  currants  just 
as  you  would  for  meat  mince  pies. 

Another. 

A  cup  of  molasses,  a  cup  of  sugar,  half  a  cup  of  vinegar,  and 
half  a  cup  of  butter,  boiled  up  together  for  a  minute.  Then 
add  three  crackers  pounded  and  sifted,  a  half  a  pint  of  chopped 
raisins,  two  beaten  eggs,  and  spice  to  suit  the  taste. 

Peach. 

If  the  peaches  are  dried,  stew  in  a  little  water  and 
sweeten ;  if  fresh,  pare  them,  but  do  not  take  out  the  stones. 
Make  the  pie  in  a  large  deep  dish,  and  close  the  edge  well,  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  the  syrup.  Sweeten  to  taste.  The 
free-stones  are  best,  because  most  tender. 

Ehubarb* 

Peel  the  stalks,  and  cut  them  into  pieces  about  an  inch  long ; 
lay  them  in  a  soft  cloth  in  order  to  absorb  some  of  the  juice,  as 
the  quantity  is  very  great.  Put  them  in  a  sauce-pan  and  stew 
gently ;  add  sugar  to  taste,  no  water ;  cover  close.  Be  care- 
ful not  to  stew  it  so  long  as  to  break  the  pieces.  Lay  it  into 
dishes  for  the  table,  and,  having  baked  your  paste  of  the 
right  size,  lay  it  over.  Some  persons  prefer  the  rhubarb 
without  spice.  If  any  is  used,  it  should  be  the  rind  of  a 
lemon. 

Rhubarb  tarts  are  good  made,  like  the  gooseberry,  with  a 
lower  crust,  and  strips  laid  across  the  top. 

Squash  or  Pumpkin. 

To  a  quart  of  boiled  milk,  put  a  large  pint  of  strained  squash, 

*  Some  nice  cooks  prefer  to  stew  the  pie-plant  without  peeling.    It  is  not 
so  handsome,  but  is  richer. 


78  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

two  cups  of  sugar,  three  eggs,  two  crackers  pounded  and  sifted 
(or  four  eggs  without  the  crackers),  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  a  few 
drops  of  lemon  or  rose,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  ginger  or  pow- 
dered cinnamon,  and  a  dessert-spoonful  of  butter,  nu  Aed  in  the 
Lot  milk.  To  mix  it,  stir  the  spice  and  salt  into  the  strained 
squash  first,  then  add  the  cracker,  and  sugar,  and  when  these 
are  mixed,  pour  in  hah0  the  milk,  and  when  this  is  well  stirred, 
add  the  remainder,  and  lastly  the  eggs,  which  should  be  thor- 
oughly beaten.  If  you  make  up  two  quarts  of  milk,  use  four 
eggs,  and  five  pounded  crackers,  and  double  the  other  ingredi- 
ents. Bake  with  a  crust,  in  rather  deep  plates,  or  in  dishes 
made  for  such  pies. 

Squash  Pie  without  Eggs. 

Take  three  pints  of  strained  squash,  add  three  cups  of 
white  sugar,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  ginger,  the  same  of  cinna- 
mon, salt,  and  essence  of  lemon.  Boil  a  pint  of  milk,  and  stir 
into  it,  as  it  boils,  three  large  spoonfuls  of  maizena  pre- 
viously rubbed  smooth  in  cold  milk.  Melt  in  this  a  piece  of 
butter  half  as  large  as  an  egg.  Stir  the  maizena  in  the 
milk  until  no  lumps  remain ;  then  pour  into  the  squash,, 
and  mix  thoroughly.  This  makes  three  pies. 

Pufis. 

Make  a  rich  paste  of  a  quart  of  flour ;  after  you  have  rubbed 
in  part  of  the  butter,  cut  the  white  of  an  egg  to  a  stiff  froth ; 
reserve  half  a  spoonful  of  it,  and  stir  the  rest,  and  the  water  into 
the  flour  with  a  knife ;  then  proceed  to  roll  in  the  remainder  of 
the  butter  in  the  usual  way.  Cut  rounds  in  the  paste  of  the 
size  you  wish  to  have  them,  and  twice  as  many  as  you  intend  to 
have  of  puffs.  Then  cut  out  of  half  of  them,  a  small  round  in 
the  centre,  so  as  to  leave  a  circular  rim  of  crust.  Take  up 
these  rims  with  a  wide-bladed  knife,  and  lay  them  upon  the 
large  rounds  so  as  to  form  a  raised  edge,  and  with  the  knife  lay 
.them,  thus  prepared,  on  tin  sheets,  or  a  nice  sheet-iron  pan. 
Take  a  feather,  and  lightly  brush  the  edges  with  a  little  of  the 


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DIRECTIONS   ABOUT   PUDDINGS.  79 

reserved  white  of  egg.  This  will  make  them  brown  handsomely. 
Bake  them  in  a  quick  oven.  Bake  also  the  small  rounds  which 
were  cut  out  from  the  rims.  "When  all  are  baked,  put  rasp- 
berry jam,  quince,  currant,  or  lemon  jelly  in  the  puffs  and  lay 
the  small  rounds  over  it.  Some  people  like  them  best,  without- 
covering  the  jelly. 

To  make  lemon  jelly  for  the  purpose,  beat  one  egg  and  a  cup 
of  sugar  together ;  when  well  mixed,  add  the  juice  of  a  lemon, 
and  then  two  table-spoonfuls  of  cold  water.  Put  the  mixture  in 
a  shallow  dish,  set  it  on  the  stove,  and  stir  it  steadily,  until  it 
thickens,  then  take  it  off  immediately.  Be  careful  it  does  not 
boil.  When  it  is  cool,  put  it  into  the  puffs. 


DIRECTIONS   ABOUT    PUDDINGS. 

THE  eggs  for  all  sorts  of  puddings  in  which  they  are  used, 
should  be  well  beaten,  and  then  strained.  If  hot  milk  is  used, 
the  eggs  should  be  added  after  all  the  other  ingredients.  Milk 
for  pumpkin,  squash,  cocoanut,  tapioca,  ground  rice,  sago,  arrow- 
root, and  sweet  potato  puddings,  should  be  boiled ;  for  bread 
and  plum  puddings  also,  unless  the  bread  is  soaked  in  milk  over 
night.  When  suet  is  used  in  puddings,  it  should  be  chopped 
fine  as  possible. 

In  making  batter  puddings,  but  a  small  portion  of  the  milk 
should  be  put  to  the  flour  at  first,  as  it  will .  be  difficult  to  stir 
out  the  little  lumps,  if  the  whole  quantity  is  mixed  together  at 
once.  After  the  flour  is  stirred  smooth,  in  a  part  of  the" milk, 
add  the  eggs  not  beaten,  and  beat  the  mixture  well ;  then  add 
the  remainder  of  the  milk,  and  stir  all  together  till  equally 
mixed.  A  flour  pudding  is  much  lighter,  when  the  materials 
are  all  beaten  together,  than  if  the  eggs  are  done  separately. 
When  berries  or  cherries  are  to  be  used,  put  them  in  last.  A 
batter  pudding,  with  berries,  requires  at  least  a  third  more  flour 
than  one  without.  For  cherry  pudding  but  a  small  addition  of 
flour  is  needed. 


80  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

A  buttered  earthen  bowl,  with  a  cloth  tied  tip  close  over  it, 
is  a  very  good  thing  in  which  to  boil  a  pudding  or  dumpling ; 
but  some  persons  think  they  are  lighter  boiled  in  a  cloth.  A 
large  square  of  thick  tow  or  hemp  cloth  does  very  well ;  but  if 
a  bag  is  preferred,  it  should  be  so  cut  that  the  bottom  will  be 
several  inches  narrower  than  the  top,  and  the  corners  rounded. 
The  seam  should  be  stitched  close  with  a  coarse  thread  on  one 
side,  and  then  turned  and  stitched  again  on  the  other,  in  order 
to  secure  the  pudding  from  the  water.  When  used,  let  the 
seam  be  outside.  A  strong  twine,  a  yard  long,  should  be  sewed 
at  the  middle  to  the  seam,  about  three  inches  from  the  top  of 
the  bag.  When  the  bag  is  to  be  used,  wring  it  in  cold  water, 
and  sprinkle  the  inside  thick  with  flour,*  and  lay  it  in  a  dish ; 
pour  in  the  batter  and  tie  up  the  bag  quickly,  drawing  the  string 
as  tight  as  possible.  Allow  a  little  room  for  the  pudding  to  swell. 
(An  Indian  pudding  made  .with  cold  milk,  swells  more  than 
any  other.)  Lay  it  immediately  into  the  boiling  pot,  and  after 
ten  minutes,  turn  it  over  to  prevent  the  flour  from  settling  on 
one  side.  If  there  is  fruit  in  the  pudding,  it  should  be  turned 
three  or  four  times  during  the  first  half  hour.  Keep  it  covered 
by  adding  water  from  the  tea-kettle  if  necessary,  and  be  careful 
that  it  boils  steadily.  If  it  does  not,  the  pudding  will  be  watery. 
When  you  take  it  up,  plunge  it  for  a  moment  in  a  pan  of  cold 
water ;  then  pour  off  the  water,  untie  the  twine,  and  gently  lay 
back  the  top  of  the  bag.  Have  a  dish  ready,  and  turn  the  pud- 
ding out  upon  it.  A  batter  pudding  without  berries  cooks  very 
nicely  in  a  tin  pudding  pan,  set  upright  in  a  kettle  of  boiling 
water. 

To  cut  a  boiled  pudding  without  making  it  heavy,  lay  the 
knife,  first  one  side  and  then  the  other,  upon  it,  long  enough  to 
warm  the  blade. 


*  Some  persons  prefer  to  spread  the  inside  with  butter  and  then  flour  it. 
Perhaps  this  method  excludes  the  water  most  effectually.  Either  way  does 
well.  Always  butter  the  dish  in  which  a  pudding  is  to  be  baked. 


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PUDDING   SAUCE.  gj 

If  these  directions  seem  needlessly  minute,  it  should  be  re- 
membered that  those  things  which  seem  perfectly  obvious  to 
the  experienced,  are  often  very  perplexing  to  the  uninitiated. 

Elegant  Pudding  Sauce. 

To  four  large  spoonfuls  of  fine  white  sugar,  put  two  of  butter, 
one  of  flour,  and  stir  them  together  to  a  cream  in  an  earthen 
dish.  Cut  the  white  of  an  egg  to  a  stiff  froth,  and  add  it ;  then 
pour  into  the  dish  a  gill  of  boiling  water,  stirring  the  mixture 
very  fast.  Put  it  into  the  sauce  tureen  and  add  essence  of 
lemon,  or  rose,  or  grate  nutmeg  over  the  top  as  you  prefer. 

A  Plainer  Sauce. 

To  three  large  spoonfuls  of  clean  brown  sugar,  put  rather 
more  than  one  spoonful  of  butter,  and  half  a  one  of  flour ;  stir 
all  together  in  an  earthen  dish  until  white,  then  add  a  gill  of 
boiling  water,  and  stir  it  steadily  till  it  is  all  melted,  then  set  it 
upon  the  coals  long  enough  just  to  boil  up.  Add  rose-water,  a 
few  drops  of  lemon  juice,  or  a  spoonful  of  boiled  cider. 

Cold  Sauce. 

Take  the  same  measure  of  butter  and  sugar  as  given  in  either 
of  the  a*bove  receipts,  and  stir  them  to  a  cream.  Omit  the  flour  ; 
but  add  the  white  of  egg. 

• 
Sour  Cream  Sauce. 

Put  together  a  cup  of  sugar  and  a  cup  and  a  half  of  thick  sour 
cream.  Beat  the  mixture  five  or  six  minutes,  then  put  it  into 
a  sauce  tureen  and  grate  nutmeg  over  it. 

This  sauce  is  specially  appropriate  for  Indian  puddings, 
baked  or  boiled,  and  for  the  boiled  suet  puddings. 

Apple  Pudding. 

To  a  quart  of  stewed  sour  apple,  put  while  it  is  hot,  a  piece 
of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg,  and  sugar  enough  to  make  it  quite 
6 week  Beat  it  several  minutes  in  order  to  mix  it  thoroughly, 


82  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

Beat  four  eggs  and  stir  into  it,  add  lemon  or  any  essence  you 
choose.  Butter  a  cold  dish  thick,  with  cold*  butter,  and  strew 
the  bottom  and  sides  with  cracker  crumbs,  or  very  fine  bread 
crumbs  ;  then  pour  in  the  mixture,  sift  plenty  of  the  cracker 
crumbs  on  the  top,  grate  a  little  nutmeg  upon  it,  and  sprinkle 
it  with  sifted  sugar.  Bake  forty  or  fifty  minutes  in  one  dish, 
or  half  an  hour  in  two.  It  is  an  improvement  to  line  the  dish 
with  a  plain  paste,  rolled  thin. 

Another  (Maryborough). 

Make  a  nice  paste  and  lay  into  your  dishes.  Take  one  quart 
of  strained  apple,  one  quart  of  sugar,  eigjit  eggs,  three  nutmegs, 
a  pint  of  cream,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  butter,  a  fresh  lemon, 
pulp  and  juice,  and  the  rind  grated.  If  you  have  no  cream, 
milk  Avill  do,  but  it  should  be  boiled,  and  half  a  pound  of  butter, 
instead  of  one  quarter,  melted  into  it.  The  apples  should  be 
very  sour.  This  will  fill  six  deep  dishes  or  soup  plates.  Bake 
three  quarters  of  an  hour. 

Fig.    (A  Canadian  Pudding.  J 

Half  a  pound  bread-crumbs,  half  a  pound  of  figs,  six 
ounces  suet,  six  brown  sugar,  two  eggs,  a  little  salt,  half  a 
nutmeg.  Wash  figs  in  hot  water,  dry  in  a  cloth,  mince  them 
and  suet  together.  Steam  four  hours.  To  be  eaten  with  sauce. 

Almond. 

Blanch  (that  is,  peel  off  the  brown  skin)  of  five  bitter,  and 
ten  sweet  almonds ;  to  do  this,  easily,  pour  boiling  water  on  them, 
then  pound  them  fine  in  a  mortar.  Set  a  pail  with  a  quart  of 
rich  milk  into  a  kettle  of  hot  water ;  when  it  boils,  put  in  the 
almonds.  Mix  two  and  a  half  table-spoonfuls  of  ground  rice 
smooth,  with  a  large  tumbler  of  milk,  and  stir  it  in.  Boil  it 


*  In  all  cases,  where  the  sides  of  a  dish  are  to  be  strewed  with  crumb* 
both  the  dish  and  the  butter  should  be  cold. 


PUDDTXG  —  BATTER.  83 

half  an  hour,  stirring  it  often ;  then  add  the  yolks  of  three  eggs 
beaten  with  half  a  coffee  cup  of  fine  sugar,  and  in  about  a 
minute  take  the  pail  from  the  kettle,  and  stir  in  another  half 
cup  of  sugar.  Pour  it  into  a  dish  and  set  it  away  to  cool.  Cut 
the  whites  of  the  eggs,  and  a  large  spoonful-  of  fine  sugar  to  a 
stiff  froth,  drop  them  on  the  top  with  a  large  spoon,  and  set 
the  pudding  into  the  oven  till  the  top  is  brown.  To  be  eaten 
cold. 

Baked  Batter. 

Allow  a  pint  of  cold  milk,  four  table-spoonfuls  of  flour,  two 
eggs,  and  a  little  salt. 

Stir  the  flour  smooth  in  a  part  of  the  milk,  then  put  in  the 
eggs  without  first  beating,  and  beat  them  well  with  the  mixed 
flour.  Then  add  the  remainder  of  the  milk,  and  the  salt,  and 
when  well  stirred  together,  pour  it  into  a  buttered  dish,  and 
bake  it  half  an  hour.  When  it  is  done,  the  whole  top  will  have 
risen  up.  So  long  as  there  is  a  little  sunken  spot  in  the  centre, 
it  is  not  baked  enough.  Make  a  cold  or  melted  sauce  as  you 
prefer.  This  makes  an  ample  pudding  for  a  family  of  four. 
A  flour  pudding  will  not  be  light  unless  it  is  put  into  the  oven 
immediately  on  being  made. 

Boiled  Batter. 

Use  the  very  same  proportions ;  butter  a  tin  pudding-pan 
having  a  close  cover,  and  put  in  the  mixture  ;  set  it  imme- 
diately into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  See  that  the  water  comes 
up  high  enough  around  it  to  cook  the  pudding,  but  so  that  it 
will  not  boil  quite  up  to  the  top.  If  it  boils  away,  add  more 
hot  water.  Boil  an  hour  and  a  half. 

Another. 

To  a  quart  of  milk  put  six  eggs,  eight  spoonfuls  of  flour,  and 
a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  To  be  boiled  two  hours. 

If  you  wish  to  make  a  nice  addition  to  your  dinner  on  short 
notice,  prepare  this  batter,  and  butter  little  cups  that  hold  about 
a  gill,  fill  them  three  quarters  full,  and  bake  in  the  stove. 


84  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

They  will  bake  in  twenty  minutes.  They  should  be  turned  out 
upon  a  dish,  and  be  eaten  with  sauce.  Such  a  pudding  requires 
forty  minutes  to  bake  in  one  dish. 

Eye  Batter. 

To  a  pint  of  cold  milk,  put  four  heaping  spoonfuls  of  sifted 
rye  meal,  a  little  salt,  and  three  eggs.  Boil  it  an  hour  and  a 
half  in  a  buttered  bowl  with  the  cloth  tied  very  tight  over  it. 
The  bowl  should  be  of  a  size  to  allow  a  very  little  for  swelling. 

Bird's  Nest. 

For  a  pint  of  cold  milk  allow  three  eggs,  five  spoonfuls  of 
flour,  six  medium  sized,  fair  apples,  and  a  small  teaspoonful  of 
salt. 

Pare  the  apples,  and  take  out  the  cores  ;  arrange  them  in  a 
buttered  dish  that  will  just  receive  them  (one  in  the  centre 
and  five  around  it).  Wet  the  flour  smooth  in  part  of  the  milk, 
then  add  the  eggs  and  beat  all  together  a  few  minutes ;  then 
put  in  the  salt,  and  the  rest  of  the  milk.  Stir  it  well  and  pour 
it  into  the  dish  of  apples.  Bake  it  an  hour,  and  make  a  melted 
sauce.  For  a  large  family  make  double  measure,  but  bake  it  in 
two  dishes,  as  the  centre  apples  of  a  large  dish  will  not  cook  as 
quickly,  as  those  around  the  edge. 

Bread. 

Take  -nice  pieces  of  light  bread,  break  them  up,  and  put  a 
small  pint  bowl  full  into  a  quart  of  milk ;  set  it  in  a  tin  pail  or 
brown  dish  on  the  back  part  of  the  stove  or  range,  where  it  will 
heat  very  gradually,  and  let  it  stand  an  hour  or  more.  When 
the  bread  is  soft  enough  to  be  made  fine  with  a  spoon,  just  boil 
it  up  ;  set  it  off,  and  stir  in  a  large  teaspoonful  of  butter,  a  little 
salt,  and  from  two  to  four  beaten  eggs.  Bake  it  an  hour. 
Make  a  sauce  for  it.  To  be  eaten  without  sauce,  put  in  twice 
the  measure  of  butter,  beat  the  eggs  with  a  cup  of  nice 
brown  sugar,  a  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon,  and  half  as  much  pow- 
dered clove.  Add  raisons  if  you  like. 


PUDDINGS  —  QUEEN'S,  COTTAGE,  ETC.  85 

Queen's. 

Put  a  pint  and  a  half  of  fine  bread-crumbs  to  a  'quart  of 
boiled  milk ;  add  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  the  yolks  o'f 
four  e*ggs  beaten  with  one  cup  of  white  sugar,  the  grated  rind 
of  a  lemon,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Bake  in  a  moderate 
heat,  then  spread  over  it  a  layer  of  jelly  or  strained  apple 
Stir  the  juice  of  the  lemon  into  a  cup  of  sugar;  add  the 
whites,  and  beat  to  a  stiff  froth,  and  spread  upon  the  top ;  sift 
a  little  sugar  over,  and  return  it  to  the  oven  to  brown. 

Cottage. 

One  teacup  of  sweet  milk,  three  of  flour,  one  coffee-cup  of 
brown  sugar,  one  egg,  one  table-spoonful  of  butter,  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  saleratus.  Melt  the  butter.  Dissolve  the  saleratus 
in  a  little  of  the  milk,  and  stir  it  in  after  the  other  ingredients 
are  mixed.  Bake  half  an  hour.  To  be  eaten  with  sweet 
sauce. 

Another  (more  rich). 

One  teacup  of  sugar,  three  table-spoonfuls  of  melted  butter, 
one  egg,  one  teacup  of  milk,  two  heaping  cups  of  flour,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  saleratus  or  soda,  and  two  of  cream  of  tartar.  If  it 
is  made  with  sour  milk,  the  cream  of  tartar  is  to  be  left  out. 

Cocoanut. 

Grate  a  cocoanut,  and  save  the  milk.  Boil  a  quart  of  milk 
and  pour  upon  it ;  add  five  eggs,  with  a  coffee-cup  of  sugar  beat- 
en in  them,  an  ounce  of  butter,  two  table-spoonfuls  of  rose-water, 
a  little  salt.  If  you  have  cream  and  plenty  of  eggs,  make  it  of 
cream  instead  of  milk,  and  add  three  more  eggs,  and  any  essence 
or  spice  you  choose,  and  bake  in  one  dish  nearly  an  hour ;  or 
make  a  nice  paste,  and  bake  it  in  three  deep  plates  like  squash 
pies,  forty  minutes.  • 

.Cracker. 

To  a  pint  of  boiled  milk,  put  four  crackers,  pounded  and  sift- 


86  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

ed,  three  eggs,  and  a  small  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Add  whortle- 
berries if  convenient,  and  in  that  case,  half  of  another  cracker. 
Make  a  sweet  sauce.  Bake  half  an  hour,  or  forty  minutes.  The 
same  mixture  made  with  cold  milk  is  a  nice  pudding  boiled  an 
hour  and  a  half. 

A  Convenient  Rice  Pudding. 

Pour  upon  two  cups  of  cold  boiled  rice  a  pint  of  milk. 
Rub  the  rice  smooth,  then  boil  it  up  in  the  milk.  Add  half  a 
cup  of  sugar,  a  bit  of  butter,  two  beaten  eggs,  and  salt  and 
flavor  to  your  taste.  Bake  about  half  an  hour. 

Farina. 

Two  table-spoonfuls  of  farina,  a  pint  of  milk,  two  eggs,  a 
small  cup  of  sugar,  and  a  half  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  flavor  with 
lemon  or  nutmeg.  To  mix  it,  set  the  milk  in  a  pail  into  a  kettle 
of  hot  water.  When  the  top  of  the  milk  foams  up,  stir  in  the 
farina  gradually,  and  add  the  salt.  Let  it  remain  in  the  kettle 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  stir  it  repeatedly.  Take  the  pail  from 
the  kettle,  beat  the  eggs  and  sugar  together,  and  stir  them  in ; 
add  the  essence,  and  pour  the  mixture  into  a  buttered  dish. 
Bake  half  an  hour  or  forty  minutes.  No  sauce  is  necessary. 

White  Mountain. 

Line  a  pudding-dish  with  thin  slices  of  bread  buttered  and 
dipped  in  milk ;  spread  over  them  a  layer  of  hot  apple-sauce 
nicely  flavored,  then  add  another  layer  of  bread  and  butter 
wet  in  milk ;  and  so  on,  till  the  dish  is  full.  Beat  the  whites 
of  two  or  three  eggs  stiff,  with  white  sugar,  and  spread  over 
the  top.  Put  it  in  the  oven  a  few  minutes  to  brown.  To  be 
eaten  with  sugar  and  milk,  or  a  boiled  custard  made  of  the 
yolks  of  the  eggs. 

Vermicelli. 

Boil  gently  in  one  pint  of  milk  two  ounces  of  vermicelli 
until  tender.  Melt  in  it  a  bit  of  butter,  and  then  add  a  pint 


MAIZENA.  —  PLUM.  87 

of  cold  milk  with  a  cup  of  sugar,  and  a  little  salt  dissolved  in 
it.  Beat  four  eggs  and  stir  in.  Flavor  to  suit  your  taste. 
Bake  about  an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven.  A  Maccaroni  pud- 
ding is  made  in  the  same  way. 

Maizena. 

One  quart  of  milk,  three  eggs,  five  or  six  spoonfuls  of  mai- 
zena.  Set  the  milk  in  a  pail  into  a  kettle  of  hot  water.  Eub 
the  maizena  smooth  in  a  little  of  the  milk,  then  add  the  yolks, 
and  heat  with  the  maizena.  Stir  this  into  the  boiling  milk ; 
add  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Beat  the  mixture  till  very  smooth, 
then  put  it  into  a  bowl  to  shape  it.  Beat  the  whites  with  a 
spoonful  of  sugar  and  a  few  drops  of  rose  or  lemon.  Turn 
the  pudding  out  into  a  dish,  and  spread  the  whites  smoothly 
over ;  sprinkle  with  white  sugar,  and  brown  in  the  oven.  Eat 
hot  with  sauce,  or  cold  with  sugar  and  milk,  or  cream. 

Plum. 

A  pound  of  bread  or  six  pounded  crackers,  one  quart  of  milk, 
six  eggs,  a  large  spoonful  of  flour,  a  teacup  of  sugar,  one  nut- 
meg, a  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon,  half  a  one  of  powdered  clove,  a 
piece  of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg,  the  same  quantity  of  chopped 
suet,  and  a  pound  of  raisins.  Boil  the  milk.  It  is  very  well  to 
soak  the  bread  in  the  milk  over  night ;  then  the  entire  crust  be- 
comes soft,  and  mixes  well  with  the  other  ingredients. 

These  puddings  are  served  with  a  rich  sauce,  if  eaten  warm, 
but  are  excellent  cold,  cut  up  like  cake.  People  that  are  subject 
to  a  great  deal  of  uninvited  company,  find  it  convenient  in  cold 
weather  to  bake  half  a  dozen  at  once.  They  will  keep  several 
weeks,  and  when  one  is  to  be  used,  it  may  be  loosened  from 
the  dish  by  a  knife  passed  around  it,  and  a  little  hot  water 
be  poured  in  round  the  edge.  It  should  then  be  covered  close, 
and  set  for  half  an  hour  into  the  stove  or  oven. 

It  requires  one  hour  and  a  half  to  bake  the  above  pudding. 


fcg  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Christmas. 

Soak  a  pound  of  soft  bread  in  a  quart  of  boiled  milk  till  it 
can  easily  be  strained  through  a  coarse  hair  sieve ;  then  add 
seven  eggs,  two  gills  of  cream,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  butter 
(melted),  a  gill  of  rose-water,  or  some  extract  of  rose,  a  little 
cinnamon  or  nutmeg,  and  a  pound  of  raisins.  For  a  small  fain' 
ily,  bake  it  in  two  dishes,  an  hour ;  and  reserve  one  for  another 
day.  To  warm  it,  see  the  directions  in  the  last  receipt. 

Rice. 

Boil  a  teacupful  of  rice  in  two  teacups  of  water.  When  it 
has  swelled  so  as  to  absorb  the  water,  add  a  quart  of  milk  and 
five  or  six  peach  leaves,  and  boil  it  until  the  rice  is  perfectly 
soft.  Take  it  from  the  fire,  remove  the  peach  leaves,  add  a 
small  piece  of  butter,  a  little  salt,  and  three  or  four  eggs,  beaten 
with  a  teacup  of  sugar.  Put  it  into  a  buttered  dish,  grate  nut- 
meg over  the  top,  and  bake  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  Most 
people  prefer  this  pudding  cold. 

Meringue  Rice. 

Prepare  the  same  measures  of  rice  and  milk,  and  in  the  same 
way  as  in  the  last  receipt.  Boil  the  rice  very  slowly  after  the 
milk  is  added,  so  that  it  may  become  very  soft,  and  not  get 
burned.  Break  six  eggs,  the  yolks  and  whites  separate ;  beat 
the  yolks  with  a  large  cup  of  white  sugar;  and  stir  them,  with 
salt,  and  a  small  bit  of  butter  into  the  rice  and  milk.  Then  re- 
turn the  kettle  to  the  fire  two  or  three  minutes,  and  see  that  it 
does  not  burn.  Then  put  the  mixture  into  a  buttered  dish, 
and  bake  it.  Cut  the  six  whites  and  two  large  spoonfuls  of 
fine  sugar  to  a  stiff  froth.  Flavor  the  froth  with  lemon,  lay  it 
over  the  pudding  in  folds  like  a  turban,  and  set  it  into  the  oven, 
long  enough  to  brown  the  top.  Ten  minutes  will  be  sufficient. 

Snow. 

Put  half  a  t)ox  of  English  gelatine,  or  three  sheets  of  j 
American  isinglass,  into  a  pint  and  a  half  of  cold  water.  Add 


PUDDINGS  —  SAGO,  SQUASH.  89 

z>ne  cup  of  white  sugar,  the  juice  and  rind  of  one  large  lemon, 
or  two  small  ones.  Let  it  stand  half  an  hour  ;  then  boil  up 
once,  and  strain  into  a  bowl  previously  wet  in  cold  water. 
'When  cool,  set  it  into  the  refrigerator  to  harden.  Make  the 
day  before  it  is  served,  as  it  hardens  slowly'.  Make  a  boiled 
custard  of  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk,  the  yolks  of  three  eggs, 
and  a  spoonful  of  maizena.  Flavor  with  almond  or  vanilla. 
Turn  the  mould  of  gelatine  into  a  dish ;  pour  the  custard, 
when  cold,  over  it.  Beat  the  three  whites  very  stiff  with 
two  spoonfuls  of  sugar  and  a  little  essence  of  lemon,  and 
spread  over  the  jelly  and  custard.  Let  it  stand  on  the  ice 
a  while. 

Sa^o. 

A  pint  of  milk,  a  table-spoonful  and  a  half  of  pearl  sago,  two 
eggs,  two  large  spoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  half  a  teaspoon  of  salt. 
Wash  the  sago  in  warm,  but  not  hot  water,  twice  ;  then  put  it 
with  the  milk  into  a  pail  and  set  it"  into  a  kettle  of  hot  water. 
Stir  it  very  often,  as  it  swells  fast,  and  will  else  lie  in  a  compact 
mass  at  the  bottom.  When  it  has  boiled  two  or  three  minutes, 
take  the  pail  from  the  kettle,  add  the  salt,  and  the  eggs  beateri 
with  the  sugar.  Flavor  it  with  vanilla  or  a  few  drops  of  essence 
of  lemon,  put  it  into  a  dish,  and  grate  nutmeg  over  it.  Set  it 
immediately  into  the  oven,  and  bake  it  about  three  quarters  of 
an  hour.  If  you  make  a  quart  of  milk,  three  eggs  answer  very 
well.  It  should  then  bake  an  hour.  With  this  number  of  eggs, 
the  sago  settles  a  little.  To  have  it  equally  diffused  take  five 
eggs. 

Squash,  or  Pumpkin. 

A  pint  of  milk,  a  large  coffee-cup  of  strained  pumpkin  or 
squash,  two  eggs,  three  large  spoonfuls  of  sugar,  a  teaspoonful 
of  butter,  a  little  salt,  a  small  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon,  half  as 
much  ginger,  and  some  nutmeg. 

To  prepare  it  —  first,  stir  the  cinnamon  and  ginger  into  the 
squash,  as,  if  they  are  added  after  the  milk,  they  will  float  dry 
on  the  top  ;  add  salt,  then  the  eggs  beaten  with  the  sugar ;  boil 


90  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

the  milk  and  melt  the  butter  in  it,  and  add  it  slowly  to  the  other 
ingredients,  stirring  fast  meantime.  Butter  a  cold  dish  with 
cold  butter,  and  sprinkle  the  bottom  and  sides  with  sifted  cracker, 
pour  in  the  mixture,  grate  nutmeg  over  the  top  and  then  sprin- 
kle it  with  pounded  cracker,  sift  white  sugar  over,  and  bake  it 
forty  minutes. 

To  make  a  more  economical  pudding,  use  the  same  measure 
of  milk,  squash,  sugar,  ginger,  and  cinnamon,  with  but  one  egg. 
Stir  a  pounded  and  sifted  cracker  into  the  squash,  before  the 
boiled  milk  is  added  ;  simply  butter  a  dish  in  the  usual  way ; 
omit  the  nutmeg  and  also  the  sugar  and  cracker  on  the  top. 

The  receipt  for  squash  pies  (see  page  78)  is  a  very  nice  rule 
for  a  pudding ;  omit  the  paste,  and  substitute  the  cracker 
crumbs  in  the- dish.  Such  puddings,  when  made  with  a  quart 
of  milk,  should  be  baked  in  two  dishes,  because  if  baked  in  one, 
the  edges  become  too  dry,  before  the  centre  is  cooked. 

Tapioca. 

To  a  quart  of  milk,  put  two  thirds  of  a  cup  of  tapioca,  five  or 
six  eggs,  a  dessert  spoonful  of  butter,  a  cup  of  sugar,  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  salt,  and  flavor  with  lemon,  nutmeg,  or  extract  of  rose.  Do 
not  wash  the  tapioca,  as  the  fine  powder  is  the  nicest  part ;  but 
pick  it  over  carefully,  and  soak  it  over  night  in  half  of  the  milk. 
If  you  have  not  done  this,  and  need  the  pudding  for  dinner,  it 
will  soak  in  cold  water  (twice  as  much  water  as  tapioca)  in  two 
or  three  hours.  Boil  it  in  the  milk,  set  into  a  kettle  of  hot 
water;  stir  it  often,  beat  the  eggs  and  sugar  thoroughly, 
together ;  stir  them  and  all  the  other  ingredients  into  the  milk 
while  it  is  yet  hot.  If  the  pudding  is  put  immediately  in  the 
oven,  it  will  bake  in  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  or  a  little  less. 
Three  eggs  to  a  quart  of  milk  will  make  a  very  good  tapioca 
pudding. 

Pearl  tapioca,  a  new  article,  will  soak  in  a  short  time. 

Tapioca  and  sago  puddings  are  improved  by  using  the 
whites  of  the  eggs,  as  directed  in  Meringue  Rice  Pudding 
(see  page  88).  The  juice  of  a  lemon  may  be  added  to  the 
whites,  but  they  should  be  made  quite  sweet. 


DELMONICO'S   PUDDING.  —  BATTER   BREAD,   ETC.  91 

Delmonico's. 

Boil  one  quart  of  milk  in  a  tin  pail  in  a  kettle  of  boiling 
water.  Rub  smooth  in  a  little  cold  milk  three  tablespoonfuls 
of  corn-starch.  Add  this  to  the  beaten  yolks  of  five  eggs, 
and  beat  together  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar.  Put 
the  eggs  and  corn-starch  into  the  milk  when  it  boils ;  let 
it  boil  for  a  few  minutes,  stirring  until  smooth.  Pour  into 
a  buttered  dish,  and.  set  it  in  the  oven  while  you  beat  the 
whites  to  a  stiff  froth.  Then  gradually  stir  into  these,  four 
spoonfuls  of  white  sugar,  and  flavor  with  lemon  or  almond. 
Lay  the  froth  smoothly  over  the  pudding,  sprinkle  with  sugar, 
and  set  it  in  the  oven  until  of  a  light  brown.  To  be  eaten 
cold,  with  sugar  and  cream. 

Batter  Bread. 

Cut  the  crust  from  two  or  three  slices  of  stale  bread.  Pour 
on  the  slices  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk.  Let  the  dish  containing 
the  bread  and  milk  stand  where  it  will  heat  gradually.  When 
the  bread  becomes  soft,  rub  it  smooth  in  the  milk.  There 
should  not  be  bread  enough  to  make  the  mixture  thick. 
After  it  has  stood  an  hour,  add  three  beaten  eggs,  a  piece  of 
butter  large  as  half  an  egg,  a  little  salt,  and  two  tablespoon- 
fuls of  sugar.  Flavor  with  essence  of  lemon,  and  bake  about 
one  hour.  Serve  with  sauce,  or  eat  with  sugar. 

Gelatine. 

Half  a  box  of  Cox's  English  gelatine  dissolved  in  half  a 
pint  of  cold  water.  Let  it  stand  for  half  an  hour.  Beat  the 
yolks  of  four  eggs  with  three  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  and 
add  to  the  gelatine  and  water.  Have  ready  a  quart  of  boiling 
milk  in  a  tin  pail,  set  in  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  Pour  the 
mixture  into  the  milk,  and  stir  till  it  boils.  After  taking  it 
from  the  fire,  stir  in  the  whites  of  the  four  eggs,  having  pre- 
viously beaten  them  to  a  froth.  Flavor  the  pudding  with 
vanilla,  lemon,  or  almond.  Pour  into  a  mould.  To  be  eaten 
the  next  day  without  sauce. 


92  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Strawberry  or  Raspberry. 

Cut  a  small  baker's  loaf  of  bread  in  thin  slices,  and  butter 
them.  Lay  them  in  a  pudding-dish  alternately  with  straw- 
berries or  raspberries  stewed  quite  sweet,  and  while  warm 
enough  to  melt  the  butter,  but  not  hot.  Have  the  last  layer 
of  fruit.  Lot  the  pudding  stand  two  or  three  hours,  and  then 
eat  with  sugar  and  cream.  If  you  use  raspberries,  it  is  an 
improvement  to  stew  a  few  currants  with  them.  If  you  wish 
to  ornament  the  pudding,  beat  whites  of  two  eggs  stiff,  with 
two  spoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  add  enough  juice  of  the  fruit  to 
color  the  whites,  and  spread  over  the  pudding  before  serving. 

German  Puffs. 

For  a  pint  of  milk  allow  six  yolks  and  three  whites  of  eggs, 
four  large  spoonfuls  of  flour,  one  of  melted  butter,  a  little  salt, 
and  half  a  nutmeg.  Mix  the  flour  smooth  in  a  little  of  the 
milk,  then  add  the  remainder,  the  eggs  well  beaten,  and  the 
other  ingredients.  Bake  in  cups  half  filled.  When  done, 
turn  them  out  in  a  dish,  and  pour  over  them  a  sauce  made  as 
follows:  — 

Beat  the  reserved  whites  to  a  stiff  froth,  mix  with  them 
three  large  spoonfuls  of  fine  sugar,  half  a  cup  of  hot  water, 
and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon. 

An  English  Berry. 

Mix  one  quart  of  flour  with  two  quarts  of  whortleberries. 
Add  a  pint  of  molasses  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt.  Boil  in 
a  tin  pudding-pan,  buttered,  and  set  in  a  kettle  of  hot  water 
for  five  hours.  Eat  with  sauce,  or  sugar  and  cream.  Make 
half  the  quantity  for  a  very  small  family. 

German  Plum. 

Put  to  a  quart  of  boiled  milk  twelve  medium  sized  crack- 
ers, a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  suet  chopped  fine,  a  pound  of 
stoned  and  chopped  raisins,  a  pound  of  currants,  two  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  salt,  and  a  cup  of  molasses.  Steam  it  in  a  tin 
pudding-pan,  or  boil  in  a  buttered  bowl,  a  cloth  tied  close  over 
it.  Cook  three  hours  and  a  half.  Eaten  with  sauce. 


h'  >   Z  <^^  ; 

<^A-  2.  c 

- 


_ 


. 

;    I  X 


.  /  T 


PUDDINGS    WITHOUT    EGGS. 


PUDDINGS    WITHOUT    EGGS. 

Berry. 

To  a  quart  of  washed  whortleberries,  put  a  pint  of  flour  in 
which  you  have  put  a  small  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Add  a  very  lit- 
tle water.  That  which  is  upon  the  berries  will  be  nearly 
enough.  Boil  it  two  hours  in  a  cloth  tied  close,  allowing  no 
room  to  swell.  To  be  eaten  with  melted  sauce. 

Another. 

A  pint  of  berries,  a  pint  of  flour,  a  pint  of  sour  milk,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt,  and  one  of  saleratus.  Boil  it  two  hours.  All 
boiled  fruit  puddings  should  be  turned  often  in  the  pot,  to  pre- 
vent the  fruit  from  settling  on  one  side.  Make  a  sweet  sauce. 

Baked  Indian. 

Two  quarts  of  milk,  a  large  teacup  of  meal,  half  a  teacup  of 
white  flour,  two  eggs,  half  a  cup  of  molasses,  a  large  teaspoonful 
of  salt,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  ginger,  and  the  same  of. cinnamon. 

To  mix  it,  boil  three  pints  of  the  milk  and  set  it  off  from  the 
fire.  Have  ready,  beaten  together,  all  the  other  ingredients  in 
part  of  the  remaining  pint  of  milk.  Stir  them  into  the  hot  milk. 
Grease  a  stone  pan,  shaped  like  a  common  gallon  pan  of  potter's 
ware.  Let  the  mixture  cool  a  little  before  putting  it  into  the 
pan.  Bake  it  in  a  moderate  heat.  When  the  top  begins  to 
brown,  pour  a  little  of  the  cold  milk  over  it,  and  cover  it  with  a 
plate.  Bake  from  four  to  five  hours.  Put  cold  milk  on  the  top 
two  or  three  times  while  it  is  baking.  If  most  convenient,  a 
little  finely-chopped  suet  can  be  substituted  for  the  eggs. 

Another  'with  Sweet  Apples). 

Pare  twelve  sweet  apples,  and  slice  them,  or  take  out  the 
cores  with  a  tap-borer.  Stir  up  a  pudding  of  a  quart  of  milk,  and 
almost  a  quart  of  Indian-meal :  the  measure  may  be  filled  quite 
full  by  using  a  spoonful  or  two  of  wheat-flour.  Add  some  salt,  a 


04  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

teacup  of  molasses,  and  a  little  chopped  suet.  The  milk  should 
be  boiled,  and  after  it  is  taken  from  the  fire,  the  meal  and  other 
ingredients  stirred  in.  Then  pour  the  whole  over  the  apples. 
Bake  three  hours. 

Boiled  Indian. 

One  teacup  of  molasses,  one  of  chopped  suet,  two  cups 
and  a  half  of  Indian  meal,  one  cup  of  boiled  milk,  half  cup  of 
cold  milk,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Good  without  eggs,  though 
two  or  three  can  be  used  if  preferred.  Steam  three  hours  in 
a  pudding-pan. 

Railroad. 

One  cup  of  molasses,  one  of  sweet  milk,  one  of  suet  or  of  salt 
pork  chopped  fine  ;  four  cups  of  flour,  one  teaspoonful  of  salera- 
tus,  and  if  suet  is  used,  one  of  salt,  one  cup  of  chopped  raisins, 
one  of  currants.  Warm  the  molasses  and  stir  the  saleratus  into 
it ;  mix  the  suet  or  pork  with  the  flour,  then  stir  all  together, 
and  steam  it  four  hours,  according  to  the  directions  for  Steamed 
Brown  Bread  (see  page  32).  Make  a  melted  sauce,  or  the  sour 
cream  sauce. 

Rice. 

Wash  a  small  coffee-cup  of  rice  and  put  it  into  three  pints  of 
milk  over  night.  In  the  morning  add  a  piece  of  butter  half  as 
large  as  an  egg,  a  teacup  of  sugar,  a  little  salt,  cinnamon,  or  nut- 
meg. Bake  very  slowly  two  hours  and  a  half  in  a  stove  or 
brick  oven.  After  it  has  become  hot  enough  to  melt  the  butter, 
but  not  to  brown  the  top,  stir  it  (without  moving  the  dish,  if  you 
can)  from  the  bottom.  If  raisins  are  to  be  used,  put  them  in 
now.  They  add  much  to  the  richness  of  the  pudding.  It  is  a 
very  good  pudding  for  so  plain  a  kind,  and  is  very  little  trouble. 
For  a  Sunday  dinner,  where  a  cooking  stove  is  used,  it  is  very 
convenient,  as  it  employs  but  a  few  minutes  to  prepare  it  in  the 
morning. 


PUDDINGS SAGO,   SALEM,   APPLE.  95 


Wash  six  fable-spoonfuls  of  pearl  sago  and  put  it  to  soak  in  a 
large  pint  of  warm  water.  Pare  six  good-sized,  mellow,  sour 
apples,  and  remove  the  cores  with  a  tap-borer.  Wash  them, 
butter  a  deep  pudding  dish,  and  lay  them  in,  with  the  open  end 
up.  Measure  a  teacup  of  sugar,  fill  the  holes  with  it,  and  then 
grate  half  a  nutmeg  over  the  apples.  Dissolve  a  little  salt  and 
the  rest  of  the  sugar,  in  the  water  with  the  sago ;  pour  two 
thirds  of  the  mixture  over  the  apples,  and  set  the  dish  in  the 
oven  or  stove.  After  one  hour  take  it  out,  pour  the  remainder 
of  the  sago  and  water  into  the  dish,  and  press  the  apples 
down  gently  without  breaking  them.  See-  that  none  of  the 
sago  lies  above  the  water.  Return  the  dish  to  the  oven  and 
bake  it  another  hour.  It  is  to  be  eaten  with  sugar  and  milk,  or 
cream,  and  is  a  very  delicate  and  healthful  pudding. 

Salem. 

Three  coffee-cups  of  flour,  one  of  milk,  one  of  chopped  rai- 
sins, one  of  suet  or  salt  pork  chopped  very  fine,  two  thirds  of  a 
cup  of  molasses,  a  small  teaspoonful  of  powdered  cloves,  half  a 
nutmeg,  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  and  if  suet  is  used  instead  of 
pork,  a  little  salt.  Warm  the  molasses  and  dissolve  the  .salera- 
tus in  it,  mix  the  suet,  flour,  and  raisins,  then  put  all  the  ingre- 
dients together.  Boil  or  steam  it  four  hours.  Make  a  melted 
sauce. 

A  Plain  Apple. 

Allow  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk ;  heat  it,  and  crumb  into  it' 
enough  pieces  of  bread  to  make  it  rather  thick. 

Mash  the  bread,  add  a  piece  of  butter  half  as  large  as  an 
egg,  a  little  salt,  and  a  large  spoonful  of  sugar.  Spread  a 
layer  of  this  in  a  pudding-dish  ;  then  a  layer  of  sliced  sour 
apple,  sprinkled  with  cinnamon,  nutmeg,  and  clove ;  and  then 
another  layer  of  the  bread.  Add  another  layer  of  apple,  on 
which  put  here  and  there  small  bits  of  butter,  a  little  more  t 
spice,  and  sprinkle  with  sugar.  Bake  moderately  two  hours. 
Cover  with  a  plate  the  last  half-hour.  Serve  with  sauce. 


96 


THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 


DUMPLINGS,  AND    OTHER    INEXPENSIVE 
ARTICLES    FOR    DESSERT. 

Apple  Dumplings  (boiled). 

THE  best  and  most  healthful  crust  for  them  is  made  like 
cream  tartar  biscuit,  or  with  potatoes,  according  to  the  direc- 
tions under  the  head  of  Pastry.  It  is  better  to  make  one  or  two 
large  dumplings,  than  many  small  ones ;  because  in  drawing  up 
the  crust,  there  must  necessarily  be  folds  which,  when  boiled, 
are  thick ;  and  thus,  in  small  dumplings,  the  proportion  of  crust 
to  apple,  is  too  great.  Make  a  large  crust  and  let  the  middle 
be  nearly  a  third  of  an  inch  thick  ;  but  roll  the  edges  thin,  for 
the  reason  above  mentioned.  Wring  a  thick,  square  cloth  in 
wa^.r,  sprinkle  it  with  flour,  and  lay  it  into  a  deep  dish  ;  lay 
the  crust  into  it,  and  fill  it  with  sliced  apples  ;  put  the  crust 
together  and  draw  up  the  cloth  around  it.  Tie  it  tight  with  a 
strong  twine  or  tape,  allowing  no  room  for  it  to  swell,  and  be 
sure  to  draw  the  string  so  close  that  the  water  cannot  soak  in. 
Boil  a  dumpling  holding  three  pints  of  cut  apple,  two  hours. 
When  taken  out  of  the  pot,  plunge  it  for  a  moment  into  cold 
water,  then  untie  it  and  turn  it  out  into  a  dish.  Eat  with  cold 
sauce,  or  butter  and  sugar. 

Newburyport  Dumpling. 

Nearly  fill  a  quart  pudding-dish  with  apples  sliced  very 
thin.  Set  it  into  a  close-fitting  steamer  over  a  kettle  of  boil- 
ing water.  Make  a  crust  according  to  rule  for  cream-of-tar- 
tar  biscuit ;  make  half  the  measure.  When  the  apple  is 
nearly  cooked,  grate  nutmeg  over  it,  sprinkle  in  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  essence  lemon,  cover  the  apple  with  the  crust,  and 
shut  the  steamer  close.  Cook  half-hour.  Eat  with  cold  sauce. 

Steamed. 

Butter  a  tin  pudding  pan  or  pail  that  will  hold  two  quarts, 
and  lay  a  thin  crust  in  the  bottom,  then  half  fill  it  with  sliced 


BAKED   DUMPLINGS.  97 

apples,  and  lay  in  another  thin  cruet.  Nearly  fill  the  paii 
with  apples,  and  lay  a  crust  on  the  top.  Use  light  bread 
dough  with  a  little  butter  rolled  in,  or  cream  tartar  biscuit. 
Half  the  measure  of  this  last  makes  crust  enough.  Shut 
the  lid  close,  and  set  the  pail  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water. 
Boil  two  hours. 

Baked. 

Pare  large,  fair  apples,  and  take  out  the  cores,  lay  each  one 
into  a  piece  of  plain  pie  crust,  just  large  enough  to  cover  it. 
Fill  the  centre  of  the  apple  with  brown  sugar,  and  add  a  little 
cinnamon,  or  small  strips  of  fresh  orange  peel.  Close  the  crust 
over  the  apple,  and  lay  them,  with  the  smooth  side  up,  into  a 
deep,  buttered  dish,  in  which  they  can  be  set  on  the  table. 
Bake  them  in  a  stove  an  hour  and  a  half.  If,  after  an  hour, 
you  find  that  the  syrup  begins  to  harden  in  the  bottom  of  the 
dish,  put  in  half  a  gill  of  hot  water.  Make  a  cold,  or  melted 
sauce  as  you  choose. 

Blackberry  (baked  or  steamed). 

Put  a  small  cup  of  berries  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of  sugar  into 
a  crust  large  enough  to  contain  them.  To  close  the  crust  well, 
dip  your  fingers  in  water  and  then  in  flour,  and  thus  paste  the 
folds  together.  Lay  as  many  dumplings  as  you  wish  to  have  into 
a  deep  pudding-dish,  because  blackberries  are  a  very  juicy 
fruit.  Bake  them  an  hour  and  a  quarter  in  a  moderate  heat. 
Make  a  cold  sauce  for  them. 

To  steam  them,  put  the  fruit  and  crust  into  a  tin  pudding  pan, 
exactly  like  steamed  apple  dumpling. 

Holey  Poley. 

Make  a  potato  crust,  or  a  paste  of  light  bread,  with  butter 
rolled  in,  or  one  of  cream  tartar  biscuit,  as  you  prefer ;  roll  it 
narrow  and  long,  about  a  third  of  an  inch  thick  ;  spread  it  with 
raspberry  jam  or  apple  sauce  j  take  care  that  this  does  not  come 


08  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

too  near  the  edge  of  the  crust ;  roll  it  up  and  close  the  ends  and 
side  as  tight  as  possible,  to  keep  the  sauce  from  coming  out  and 
the  water  from  soaking  it.  Sew  it  up  in  a  thick  cloth,  put 
into  boiling  water,  and  boil  it  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two  hours, 
according  to  its  size.  Make  a  sauce. 

A  Charlotte. 

Butter  a  deep  dish  or  pudding-pan  very  thick.  Cut  smooth 
slices  of  bread,  and  spread  them  with  butter,  and  line  the  bot- 
tom  and  sides  of  the  dish.  Fill  it  with  sliced  sour  apples. 
Sprinkle  each  layer  of  apples  with  brown  sugar,  and  any 
spice  you  prefer,  also  a  few  small  bits  of  butter.  Soak  some 
slices  of  bread  for  a  minute  in  milk  or  water ;  lay  them  on 
the  top,  and  cover  with  a  plate  that  will  fit  close,  and  lay  a 
weight  upon  that.  Bake  two  hours  and  half  in  a  moderate 
stove-oven  ;  in  a  brick  oven  three  hours.  It  should  turn  out 
whole  into  another  dish.  Serve  with  cold  sauce.  Peaches 
instead  of  apples  make  a  nice  Charlotte,  and  need  no  spice ; 
leave  a  few  of  the  peach-stones  in  it. 


Ground  Rice. 

Measure  a  quart  of  milk,  and  then  take  out  two  cupfuls.  Set 
the  remainder  into  a  kettle  of  hot  water ;  then  wet  a  teacupful 
of  ground  rice,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  with  the  reserved  cold 
milk.  When  that  which  is  in  the  kettle  boils,  add  the  ground 
rice  mixture  gradually,  and  continue  to  stir  it,  until  it  is  well 
scalded,  else  it  will  be  lumpy,  or  lie  compactly  at  the  bottom. 
Let  it  remain  in  the  kettle  eight  or  ten  minutes,  and  stir  it  now 
and  then.  Just  before  you  take  it  up,  stir  in  a  large  table- 
spoonful  of  dry  ground  rice,  and  as  soon  as  that  is  well  mixed 
take  the  pail  from  the  water-kettle,  and  put  the  mixture  into  a 
bowl,  or  blanc-mange  mould,  wet  in  cold  water.  If  it  is  of  the 
right  consistency,  it  will  turn  out  in  good  shape  in  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes.  To  be  eaten  like  blanc-mange  with  sugar  and 


FARINA,   TAPIOCA,   SAGO.  99 

milk  or  cream.  It  is  nice  cold,  and  if  it  is  made  for  the  next 
day,  a  half  a  spoonful  less  of  dry  rice  will  be  enough.  It  should 
be  only  stiff  enough  to  retain  the  shape.  For  this  and  all  sim- 
ilar milk  preparations,  peach  leaves  are  better  than  any  spice. 
Boil  in  the  milk  three  or  four  fresh  leaves  from  the  tree.  Re- 
member to  take  them  out  before  you  stir  in  the  rice.  If  you 
put  in  too  many,  they  will  give  a  strong  flavor  to  the  article. 
Experience  will  teach  how  many  to  use* 

Farina. 

Set  a  pail  containing  a  quart  of  milk  into  a  kettle  of  boiling 
water.  Put  in  a  few  pieces  of  stick-cinnamon.  When  the 
milk  boils,  take  out  the  cinnamon  and  add  a  teaspoonful  of  salt, 
and  stir  in,  very  gradually,  four  table-spoonfuls  of  dry  farina  ; 
beat  out  the  lumps,  and  stir  it  often  during  the  first  ten  minutes, 
then  leave  it  to  boil  half  an  hour  or  more,  remembering  to  stir 
it  repeatedly  during  that  time.  Put  it  in  a  mould  till  the  next 
day.  Serve  it  as  blanc-mange. 

Made  thin,  like  gruel,  it  is  excellent  food  for  young  children. 

Tapioca. 

Soak  a  cup  of  tapioca  in  a  pint  of  cold  water  over  night ;  then 
boil  it  in  a  pint  of  milk  with  a  little  salt.  Add  any  essence  you 
choose.  It  is  very  good  without.  Serve  it  warm,  and  use 
sugar  and  cream. 

Sago  Apple. 

Wash  a  table-spoonful  and  a  half  of  pearl  sago,  and  put  it 
into  a  teacup  of  cold  water  to  soak.  Pare  and  slice  very  thin 
two  fair  sour  apples,  and  boil  them  very  soft  in  a  teacup  of 
water  ;  then  add  the  sago  and  water  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
salt,  and  stir  it  every  minute  or  two.  Boil  it  till  the  sago  and 
apple  are  perfectly  mixed,  then  add  a  large  spoonful  of  white 
sugar,  and  boil  it  a  minute  more.  Set  it  off  and  add  lemon 
(the  essence  or  juice  as  you  prefer).  'Put  it  in  a  mould,  and 
serve  it  like  blunc-mange. 


100  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

This  is  a  very  good  article  for  an  invalid,  leaving  out  the 
essence. 

The  same  preparation  of  sago,  and  two  or  three  table-spoon- 
"uls  of  currant  jelly  dissolved  in  it  instead  of  the  apple,  is  very 
pretty,  and  good. 


SWEET    DISHES. 

IN  making  blanc-mange,  custards,  ice-creams,  &c.,  do  not  boil 
\he  milk  in  a  sauce-pan,  but  set  it,  in  a  tin  pail,  into  a  kettle  of 
boiling  water.  The  milk  does  not  rise,  when  boiled  thus,  as  it 
does  in  a  sauce-pan,  but  when  the  top  is  covered  with  foam,  it 
boils  enough. 

In  making  ice  cream,  it  is  an  improvement  to  stir  the 
cream  until  it  becomes  frothy,  before  adding  the  other  ingredi- 
ents. 

Apple  Island. 

Stew  apple  enough  to  make  a  quart,  strain  it  through  a 
sieve,  sweeten  it  with  fine  white  sugar,  and  flavor  it  with  lemon 
or  rose.  Beat  the  whites  of  six  eggs  to  a  hard  froth,  and  stir 
into  the  apple  slowly ;  but  do  not  do  this  till  just  before  it  is  to 
be  served.  The  apples  should  be  stewed  with  as  little  water  as 
possible.  Put  it  into  a  glass  dish.  Serve  a  nice  boiled  custard, 
made  of  the  yolks  of  the  eggs,  to  eat  with  it. 

Apple  Snow, 

Put  twelve  large  apples,  without  paring,  into  cold  water 
enough  to  stew  them.  Boil  them  slowly ;  when  they  are  very 
soft  strain  them  through  a  sieve  ;  beat  the  whites  of  twelve  eggs 
to  a  stiff  froth,  then  add  to  them  half  a  pound  of  fine  white 
sugar,  and  when  these  are  well  mixed,  add  the  apple,  and  beat 
all  together,  until  white  as  snow.  Then  lay  it  in  the  centre  of  a 
deep  dish,  heap  it  high  as  you  can,  and  pour  around  it  u  nice 


SWEET    DISHES  —  FLOATING    ISLAND.  101 

boiled  custard  made  of  a  quart  of  milk,  and  eight  of  the  yolks  of 
the  eggs. 

Floating  Island.  . 

Put  the  juice  of  two  lemons,  the  whites  of  two  eggs,  three 
spoonfuls  of  currant  jelly,  and  a  gill  and  a  half  of  fine  sugar 
together  and  beat  to  a  stiff  froth ;  then  put  it  into  the  middle  of 
the  dish,  dress  it  with  sweetmeats,  and  just  before  it  is  served, 
pour  into  the  dish,  cream  enough  to  float  it. 

Lemon  Jelly. 

Take  three  sheets  of  American  isinglass,  break  it  up 
small,  and  soak  half  an  hour  in  a  pint  of  cold  water.  Dis- 
solve in  the  water  one  cup  of  white  sugar,  and  add  the  juice 
and  rind  of  a  good-sized  lemon.  Boil  a  pint  of  water  with 
two  or  three  cloves  for  a  few  minutes  ;  stir  into  it  the  water 
containing  the  isinglass,  and  strain  into  a  mould.  Let  it 
stand  till  next  day. 

Isinglass  Blanc-mange. 

Wash  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  calf 's-foot  isinglass,  and  put  it 
into  a  quart  of  milk  over  night.  In  the  morning  add  three 
peach  leaves,  and  boil  it,  slowly,  twenty  minutes  or  half  an 
hour.  Strain  it  into  a  dish  upon  a  small  teacupful  of  fine 
sugar.  If  it  is  to  be  served  soon,  add  two  or  three  beaten  eggs 
while  it  is  hot.  Put  it  into  the  mould  and  set  in  a  cool  place. 
In  hot  weather  this  should  be  made  over  night,  if  wanted  at  din«- 
ner  the  next  day,  as  it  hardens  slowly. 

Calf's  Foot  Blanc-mange. 

Put  four  calf  s  feet  into  four  quarts  of  water ;  boil  it  away  to 
one  quart,  strain  it,  and  set  it  aside.  When  cool,  remove  all  the 
fat,  and  in  cutting  the  jelly  out  of  the  pan,  take  care  to  avoid 
the  sediment.  Put  to  it  a  quart  of  new  milk,  and  sweeten  it 
with  fine  sugar.  If  you  season  it  with  cinnamon  or  lemon  peel, 
put  it  in  before  boiling ;  if  with  rose  or  peach-water,  afterwards ; 
or,  if  you  choose,  boil  peach  leaves  in  it.  Boil  it  ten  minutes, 


102  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND.  1 

strain  it  through  a  fine  sieve  into  a  pitcher,  and  stir  it  till  nearly 
cold.     Then  put  it  into  moulds. 

Gelatine  Blanc-mange. 

Allow  a  quart  of  milk.  Take  a  quarter  of  a  paper  of  Eng- 
lish gelatine,  and  put  it  intq  a  gill  of  the  milk  to  soften.  In  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  set  the  remainder  •  of  the  milk  in  a  tin  pail 
into  a  kettle  of  hot  water,  with  a  few  sticks  of  cinnamon  in  it. 
When  the  milk  boils  (or  foams  up)  add  a  small  teaspoon  of  salt, 
and  stir  in  the  cold  milk  and  gelatine.  Stir  it  steadily  a  few 
minutes,  till  the  particles  of  gelatine  are  dissolved,  then  put  it 
into  moulds.  If  lemon  or  some  other  essence  is  preferred  to 
the  cinnamon,  add  it  after  the  pail  is  taken  out  of  the  hot  water. 
A  beaten  egg  is  an  improvement. 

• 

Moss  Blanc-mange. 

In  making  this  blanc-mange  as  little  moss  should  be  used  as 
will  suffice  to  harden  the  milk.  If  the  moss  is  old,  more  is 
necessary  than  if  it  is  fresh.  Allow  half  a  teacupful  for  a 
quart  of  milk.  Wash  it,  and  put  it  in  soak  over  night ;  in  the 
morning,  tie  it  up  in  a  piece  of  muslin,  and  boil  it  in  the  milk, 
with  sticks  of  cinnamon,  the  rind  of  a  lemon,  or  poach  leaves. 
Boil  it  gently  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour.  Then  put 
in  half  a  salt-spoonful  of  salt,  strain  it  upon  a  large  spoon- 
ful of  crushed  sugar,  and  put  it  into  a  mould  immediately, 
as  it  soon  begins  to  harden.  Eat  it  with  sugar  and  milk  or 
cream. 

Charlotte  Eusse. 

Make  a  boiled  custard  of  a  pint  of  milk  and  four  eggs ;  sea- 
son it  with  vanilla,  or  any  essence  you  prefer ;  make  it  very 
sweet,  and  set  it  away  to  cool.  Put  a  half  an  ounce  of  isinglass 
or  English  gelatine  into  a  gill  of  milk  where  it  will  become 
warm.  When  the  gelatine  is  dissolved,  pour  it  into  a  pint  of 
rich  cream,  and  whip  it  to  complete  froth.  When  the  custard  is 
told,  stir  it  gently  into  the  whip.  Line  a  mould  that  holds  a 


SWEET   DISHES  —  CALF'S-FOOT   JELLY.  103 

quart  with  thin  slices  of  sponge  cake,  or  with  .sponge  fingers, 
pour  the  mixture  into  it,  and  set  it  in  a  cold  place. 

Calf  's-foot  Jelly. 

Scald  four  calf's  feet  only  enough  to  take  off  the  hair, 
(more  will  extract  the  juices).  Clean  them  nicely.  When  this 
is  done,  put  them  into  five  quarts  of  water  and  boil  them  until 
the  water  is  half  wasted ;  strain  and  set  it  away  till  the  next 
day,  then  take  off  the  fat  and  remove  the  jelly,  being  careful 
not  to  disturb  the  sediment ;  put  the  jelly  into  a  sauce-pan  with 
sugar,  wine,  and  lemon  juice  and  rind  to  your  taste.  Beat  the 
whites  and  shells  of  five  eggs,  stir  them  in,  and  set  it  on  the 
coals,  but  do  not  stir  it  after  it  begins  to  warm.  Boil  it  twenty 
minutes,  then  add  one  teacupful  of  cold  water  and  boil  five 
minutes  longer ;  set  off  the  saucepan,  and  let  it  stand  covered 
close  half  an  hour.  It  will  thus  become  so  clear  that  it  will 
ne'ed  to  run  through  the  jelly  bag  but  once. 

Another  (made  of  English  Gelatine). 

To  one  of  the  papers  of  gelatine  containing  an  ounce  and  a 
half,  put  a  pint  of  cold  water ;  after  fifteen  minutes,  add  a  quart 
of  boiling  water,  and  stir  till  the  gelatine  is  dissolved.  Then  add 
a  coffee-cup  of  sugar,  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  and  the  grated  rind, 
or  any  other  spice  or  essence  you  prefer,  and  just  boil  it  up  a 
minute.  If  the  jelly  is  for  an  invalid,  and  wine  is  a  part  of  the 
appropriate  regimen,  omit  the  lemon  and  spices,  and  add  two 
gills  of  wine,  after  it  is  boiled.  The  gelatine  is  so  pure,  that 
the  jelly  need  not  be  passed  through  a  jelly-bag.  This  will  keep 
several  weeks  in  winter,  and  is  convenient  for  persons  who  are 
in  the  habit  of  providing  little  delicacies  for  the  sick. 

Almond  Custards. 

Blanch  and  beat  in  a  marble  mortar,  with  two  spoonfuls  of 
rose-water,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  almonds ;  beat  the  yolks  of 
four  eggs  with  two  table-spoonfuls  of  sugar,  mix  the  almonds 
with  the  eggs  and  sugar,  and  then  add  the  whole  to  a  pint  of 


104  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

cream,  set  into  a  kettle  of  hot  water  in  a  pail.     Stir  it  steadily 
till  it  boils.     Serve  in  little  cups. 

Boiled  Custards. 

Put  a  quart  of  milk  into  a  tin  pail  or  a  pitcher  that  holds  two 
quarts ;  set  it  into  a  kettle  of  hot  water.  Tin  is  better  than 
earthen,  because  it  heats  so  much  quicker.  Put  in  a  few  sticks 
of  cinnamon,  or  three  peach  leaves.  When  the  milk  foams  up 
as  if  nearly  boiling,  stir  in  six  eggs  which  have  been  beaten, 
with  two  spoonfuls  of  white  sugar ;  stir  it  every  instant,  until  it 
appears  to  thicken  a  little.  Then  take  out  the  pail,  and  pour  the 
custard  immediately  into  a  cold  pitcher,  because  the  heat  of  the 
pail  will  cook  the  part  of  the  custard  that  touches  it,  too  much, 
so  that  it  will  curdle.  This  is  a  very  easy  way  of  making  cus- 
tards, and  none  can  be  better.  But  in  order  to  have  them  good, 
you  must  attend  to  nothing  else  until  they  are  finished.  You 
may  make  them  as  rich  as  you  choose.  A  pint  of  milk,  a  pint 
of  cream,  and  eight  eggs  will  make  them  rich  enough  for  any 
epicure.  So,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  very  good  with  three 
or  four  eggs  only  to  a  quart  of  milk,  and  no  cream. 

Another  (good,  and  very  simple). 

Boil  a  quart  of  milk  in  the  way  directed  in  the  preceding 
receipt,  excepting  one  gill ;  beat  two  or  three  eggs  with  three 
spoonfuls  of  fine  sugar  ;  wet  three  teaspoonfuls  of  corn-starch  in 
the  reserved  gill  of  milk,  then  mix  the  beaten  eggs  and  corn 
starch  together,  and  add  a  little  salt.  When  the  milk  in  the 
pail  boils,  stir  them  in,  and  continue  to  stir  a  minute  or  two, 
till  the  custard  thickens.  Then  take  the  pail  to  the  table  and 
pour  the  custard  into  china  cups  (as  glass  will  crack),  or  else 
into  a  cold  pitcher.  Use  what  seasoning  you  please.  The  old 
fashion  of  using  cinnamon  is  economical  and  very  good.  Boil 
some  pieces  of  cinnamon  a  few  minutes  only,  in  two  or  three 
epoonfuls  of  water.  Put  some  of  this  into  the  custard,  and  put 
what  is  left  into  a  vial  for  another  time, 


APPLE   MERINGUE.  —  RASPBERRY   TRIFLE,   ETC.  1Q5 

Apple  Meringue. 

Make  a  syrup  of  one  pint  and  a  half  of  water,  two  cups 
of  sugar,  a  bit  of  stick-cinnamon,  and  half  a  lemon.  Let 
this  boil  in  a  porcelain  saucepan  while  you  are  paring  and 
quartering  ten  medium  sized  apples.  Boil"  these  in  the  syrup, 
without  stirring,  until  the  syrup  has  nearly  boiled  awa}^. 
Lay  the  apple  in  a  dish  that  will  hold  a  quart.  Make  a 
boiled  custard  of  one  pint  of  milk,  the  yolks  of  three  eggs, 
half  a  cup  of  sugar,  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of  corn-starch 
rubbed  smooth  in  a  very  little  cold  milk.  Flavor  with  lemon. 
Let  the  custard  and  apple  stand  till  cold,  then  pour  the 
custard  over  the  apple.  Beat  the  whites  of  the  three  eggs 
stiff  with  two  spoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  flavor  with  rose  or 
lemon.  Spread  this  over  the  custard,  and  let  it  stand  in  a 
moderate  oven  until  of  a  light  brown.  To  be  eaten  cold. 
Make  the  meringue  without  the  custard,  if  you  wish,  using 
only  the  beaten  whites  of  three  eggs  spread  over  the  apple, 
and  browned. 

Raspberry  Trifle. 

Lay  in  a  deep  glass  dish  slices  of  sponge-cake  or  any  deli- 
cate cup-cake.  Pour  over  some  cream,  or  juice  of  preserved 
fruit;  then  add  a  layer  of  raspberry  or  strawberry  jam,  as 
thick  as  your  finger.  Pour  upon  this  a  pint  of  boiled  cus- 
tard, and  beat  the  whites  of  three  eggs  very  stiff,  and  spread 
over  the  custard. 

Apple  Custard. 

Boil  with  a  pint  of  water  one  pint  and  a  half  of  white 
sugar,  and  two  oranges  cut  in  slices.  Pick  out  the  seeds. 
Take  one  lemon,  if  you  prefer.  Boil  this  syrup  ten  minutes, 
slowly,  then  put  in  two  pounds  of  russet  or  other  sour  apples, 
pared,  and  sliced  thin.  Stew  them  moderately,  stirring  fre- 
quently, until  they  are  a  thick  smooth  pulp,  and  look  clear. 
Take  out  the  pieces  of  orange,  and  put  this  jam  into  a  large  bowl 
wet  with  cold  water.  The  next  day,  turn  it  into  a  deep  dish, 
and  serve  with  a  nice  boiled  custard  poured  over. 


106  THE   YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Coffee  Custard. 

Boil  one  pint  of  milk  with  five  spoonfuls  of  sugar.  Add 
a  cup  of  very  strong  hot  coffee,  then  three  beaten  eggs,  and 
-a  spoonful  of  corn-starch  or  maizena  rubbed  in  cold  milk. 
Stir  constantly  until  it  is  smooth.  Pour  into  cups  or  glasses, 
and  ornament  with  the  beaten  white  of  an  egg  just  before 
serving. 

Chocolate  Custard. 

Put  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk,  with  a  cup  of  sugar  in  it, 
into  a  tin  pail,  and  set  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  Then 
put  half  a  pint  of  milk  into  a  sauce-pan,  and  add  a  heaping 
tablespoonful  of  Baker's  chocolate,  shaved  fine.  Boil  this 
slowly  a  few  minutes.  Wet  a  tablespoonful  of  maizena  or 
corn-starch  in  two  of  cold  milk,  and,  when  smooth,  stir  into 
the  boiling  milk  in  the  pail;  add,  also,  the  chocolate  after 
straining  it,  and,  lastly,  the  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs.  Stir 
till  smooth.  Flavor  with  vanilla.  Use  more  chocolate,  eggs, 
and  sugar,  if  you  like  the  custard  richer. 

Pour  into  a  dish,  or  glass  cups.     Before  serving,  beat  three 
whites  stiff,  with  a  spoonful  of  sugar,  and  lay  on  the  top. 
Steamed  Custard. 

Make  a  boiled  custard  with  three  eggs  to  a  quart  of  milk, 
and  a  tablespoonful  of  corn-starch  or  maizena  wet  with  cold 
milk,  a  pinch  of  salt,  and  half  a  cup  of  white  sugar.  Fla- 
vor with  rose  or  lemon.  Fill  the  custard-cups,  and  set  them 
into  a  dripping-pan ;  fill  the  pan  with  boiling  water,  and  set 
it  into  the  stove-oven.  Bake  slowly,  until  they  do  not  seem 
liquid  when  moved. 

Eice  Custard  Pie. 

Put  a  quart  of  milk  (excepting  a  teacupful)  into  a  tin 
pail,  and  set  it  in  a  kettle  of  boiling  water ;  add  a  cup  of  white 
sugar,  a  pinch  of  salt,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  butter.  Rub 
smooth  in  the  cold  milk  you  have  reserved  four  large  spoon- 
fuls of  ground  rice,  beat  with  it  two  eggs,  then  stir  it  into  the 


DIRECTIONS   FOR  MAKING  ICES.  107 

boiling  milk.     When  partly  cool,  flavor  with  lemon  or  rose. 
Bake  in  two  squash-pie  plates  lined  with  a  paste. 

Custard  Pie. 

Boil  a  pint  and  a  half  of  milk.  Add  a  cup  of  sugar,  the 
grated  rind  of  a  lemon,  three  beaten  eggs,  and  a  spoonful  of 
corn-starch  rubbed  smooth  in  milk.  Stir  well.  Bake  mod- 
erately, in  two  small  dishes,  lined  with  paste.  You  can  omit 
the  corn-starch,  if  you  wish,  and  use  another  egg. 

Baked  Custards. 

Boil  the  milk  with  a  stick  of  cinnamon  in  it,  then  set  it  off 
from  the  fire,  and  while  it  cools  a  very  little,  beat  (for  a  quart 
of  milk)  five  or  six  eggs,  with  three  large  spoonfuls  of  fine 
sugar;  then  stir  the  milk  and  eggs  together,  and  pour  into 
custard-cups,  or  into  a  single  dish  that  is  large  enough.  If  you 
bake  in  a  brick  oven,  it  is  a  good  way  to  set  custard,  in  cups, 
into  it,  after  the  bread  ^nd  other  things  have  been  baked. 
They  will  become  hard  in  a  few  hours,  and  be  very  delicate. 
If  you  bake  in  a  stove,  or  range  oven,  it  is  best  to  use  a  dish, 
and  bake  it  in  a  very  moderate  heat,  else  it  will  turn,  in  part,  to 
whey. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   MAKINQ    ICES.* 

Mix  equal  quantities  of  coarse  salt  and  ice  chopped  small ; 
set  the  freezer  containing  the  cream  into  a  firkin,  and  put 
in  the  ice  and  salt ;  let  it  come  up  well  around  the  freezer. 
Turn  and  shake  the  freezer  steadily  at  first,  and  nearly  ah1  the 
time  until  the  cream  is  entirely  frozen.  Scrape  the  cream  down 
often  from  the  sides  with  a  knife.  When  the  ice  and  salt  melt, 
do  not  pour  off  any  of  it,  unless  there  is  danger  of  its  getting 
into  the  freezer ;  it  takes  half  an  hour  to  freeze  a  quart  of 
cream  ;  and  sometimes  longer.  A  tin  pail  which  wil]  hold  twice 

*  The  process  of  freezing  is  very  much  simplified  by  the  patent  freezers,  which 
hare  recently  come  hi  use. 


108  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

the  measure  of  the  cream,  answers  a  good  purpose,  if  you  do 
not  own  a  freezer.     In  winter,  use  snow  instead  of  ice. 

Several  nice  receipts  for  ice-creams  will  be  given  under  this 
head,  but  a  custard  made  of  one  quart  of  rich  milk,  one  or  two 
eggs,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  corn-starch,  a  teacup  of  sugar,  a  very 
little  salt,  and  seasoned  with  vanilla,  makes  a  delicious  ice-cream 

A  rich  Ice-creain. 

Squeeze  a  dozen  lemons,  and  strain  the  juice  upon  as  much 
fine  sugar  as  it  will  absorb ;  pour  three  quarts  of  cream  into  it 
very  slowly,  stirring  very  fast  all  the  time. 

Chocolate  Ice-Cream. 

Boil  two  quarts  of  milk  with  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
Baker's  vanilla  chocolate.  Dissolve  in  the  milk  a  pint  and 
a  half  of  white  sugar.  Rub  smooth  in  a  little  of  the  milk, 
cold,  a  tablespoonful  of  corn-starch ;  stir  this  into  two 
well-beaten  eggs,  and  add  to  the  milk  after  it  has  boiled 
several  minutes.  Take  up,  and  let  it  stand  till  entirely  cold; 
then  stir  in  one  quart  of  cream,  and  freeze.  Heduce'the 
proportions  for  a  small  family. 

Apricot. 

Pare,  stone,  and  scald  twelve  ripe  apricots  ;  then  bruise  them 
in  a  marble  mortar.  Then  stir  half  a  pound  of  fine  sugar  into 
a  pint  of  cream  ;  add  the  apricots  and  strain  through  a  hair 
sieve.  Freeze  and  put  it  into  moulds. 

Peaches  would  be  a  good  substitute  for  the  apricots,  using,  if 
they  are  large,  nine,  instead  of  twelve. 

Strawberry  or  Raspberry. 

Bruise  a  pint  of  raspberries,  or  strawberries,  with  two  large 
spoonfuls  of  fine  sugar ;  add  a  quart  of  cream,  and  strain 
through  a  sieve,  and  freeze  it.  If  you  have  no  cream,  boil  a 
spoonful  of  arrow-root  in  a  quart  of  milk,  and,  if  you  like,  beat 
up  one  egg  and  stir  into  it. 


PHILADELPHIA   ICE   CREAM,   ETC. 

Philadelphia  Ice  Cream. 

Dissolve  in  one  quart  of  cream  six  ounces  of  pulverized 
sugar.  Flavor  with  essence  of  vanilla,  or  a  piece  of  a  vanilla- 
bean.  No  boiling  of  the  cream  is  necessary.  It  should  be 
about  as  thick  as  cream  for  coffee.  Use  a  patent  freezer. 
For  those  who  keep  good  cows,  this  is  a  convenient  receipt. 

Ice  Cream. 

One  quart  of  rich  milk,  three  eggs,  a  coffee-cup  of  granu- 
lated sugar,  one  large  spoonful  of  maizena  or  corn-starch. 
Set  the  milk  in  a  tin  pail  in  a  kettle  of  hot  water  to  boil ;  rub 
the  maizena  smooth  in  a  little  cold  milk  ;  add  to  it  the  sugar,  a 
pinch  of  salt,  and  the  eggs.  Beat  these  well  together,  and  stir 
jnto  the  boiling  milk.  Remove  it  from  the  fire  in  a  minute 
or  two,  and  set  it  to  cool.  When  perfectly  cold,  add  vanilla, 
or  lemon,  and  put  it  into  the  freezer.  Stir  it  often  till  it 
becomes  frozen. 


Meringues. 

Cut  the  whites  of  six  eggs  very  stiff.  Stir. in  gradually  a 
pound  of  powdered  sugar ;  beat  till  thick.  Flavor  with  any 
essence  you  like.  Butter,  slightly,  sheets  of  white  paper,  and 
lay  upon  pieces  of  hard  wood  boards.  Drop  the  mixture  on 
the  paper,  a  spoonful  at  a  time,  in  oval  form,  rounded,  and 
thick  at  the  top.  Bake  in  a  slack  oven  till  the  outside  is 
crisp,  and  of  a  light  brown.  Then  remove  from  the  paper, 
and  join  them  by  the  under  side,  two  by  two.  The  inside 
will  be  soft  and  creamy.  Before  joining  the  meringues  thus, 
you  can,  if  you  prefer,  remove  a  part  of  the  inside  with  a  tea- 
spoon, and  put  a  little  jelly,  or  rich  cream,  whipped,  in  place 
of  it ;  then  join  them  as  above.  Prepared  in  this  way,  they 
should  be  served  soon. 

Placed  singly  upon  cream  in  a  glass  dish,  they  are  a  hand- 
some dessert. 


110  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Strawberry  Sherbet, 

Crush  one  box  of  strawberries ;  add  three  pints  of  watej 
and  the  juice  of  a.  lemon.  Let  it  stand  for  a  few  hours,  then 
strain  through  a  bag  or  cloth  upon  two  cups  of  white  sugar. 
Squeeze  out  all  the  juice  possible,  and  stir  till  the  sugar  is 
entirely  'dissolved.  Make  it  sweeter,  if  desired.  Put  it  in 
the  freezer  for  an  hour. 

Lemon  Sherbet. 

Having  squeezed  your  lemons,  add  sugar  enough  to  the  juice 
to  make  it  quite  sweet,  and  about  a  third  as  much  water  as  to 
make  lemonade  ;  strain  it,  and  then  freeze  it. 

Imperial  Cream. 

Boil  a  quart  of  cream  with  the  thin  rind  of  a  lemon ;  then 
stir  it  till  nearly  cold  ;  have  ready,  in  the  dish  in  which  it  is  to 
be  served,  the  juice  of  three  lemons,  strained,  with  as  much 
eugar  as  will  sweeten  the  cream  ;  pour  the  cream  into  the  dish, 
from  a  teapot  or  pitcher,  holding  it  high  and  moving  it  about 
BO  as  to  mix  thoroughly  with  the  juice.  It  should  be  made  six 
hours  before  being  served.  Eat  with  sweetmeats,  apple  island, 
or  apple-pie. 

Snow  Cream. 

To  a  quart  of  cream  add  the  whites  of  three  eggs,  cut  to  a 
stiff  froth,  four  spoonfuls  of  sweet  wine,  sugar  to  your  taste, 
and  a  little  essence  of  lemon,  or  the  grated  rind ;  whip  it  to  a 
froth,  and  serve  in  a  glass  dish. 

If  you  have  not  a  whisk  such  as  is  made  expressly  to  whip 
cream,  it  can  be  easily,  though  not  as  quickly  done,  with  a  spoon. 
After  the  materials  are  mixed,  beat  them,  not  over  and  over 
like  the  yolks  of  eggs,  but  back  and  forth,  keeping  the  spoon 
below  the  surface ;  and  as  fast  as  the  froth  forms,  take  it  off 
and  lay  it  into  the  dish,  or  glasses,  for  the  table.  It  will  not 
return  to  the  liquid  state.  If  it  were  to  stand  several  days  it 
would  become  crisped  in  the  form  in  which  it  was  left. 


WINE    CUSTARD  -  STAINED    FROTH. 


Pine-apple  Ice-cream 

Boil  together  a  pint  of  pure  cream  and  a  pint  of  rich  milk  ; 
then  add  a  cup  of  white  sugar  and  the  whites  of  three  eggs, 
beaten.  Cut  a  ripe  pine-apple  in  small  pieces,  lay  them  in  a 
bowl,  and  sprinkle  them  with  white  sugar.  Let  them  stand 
an  hour  or  two,  and  the  syrup  will  then  be  ready  to  add  to 
the  ice-cream. 

Rennet  Custard. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  three  eggs  with  two  spoonfuls  of  crushed 
sugar,  and  cut  the  whites  to  a  stiff  froth  ;  put  them  into  the 
dish  which  is  to  go  to  the  table,  and  add  a  quart  of  milk,  and  a 
few  drops  of  peach  or  rose-water,  and  when  these  are  well 
mixed,  stir  in  a  spoonful  and  a  half  of  rennet  wine.  In  cold 
weather,  the  milk  should  be  warmed  a  little  ;  in  warm  weather 
it  is  not  necessary.  It  should  be  immediately  set  where  it  will 
not  be  disturbed.  It  will  harden  soon,  perhaps  in  five  minutes. 
This  depends  somewhat  on  the  strength  of  the  rennet,  and  the 
measure  of  wine  necessary  to  harden  a  quart  of  milk  will  de- 
pend on  this.  Sometimes  a  spoonful  will  prove  enough.  There 
is  no  way  to  judge  but  by  trying,  as  in  using  rennet  for  making 
cheese.  The  strength  of  this  article  varies  exceedingly. 

It  is  a  very  good  and  more  economical  way  to  warm  the  milk 
a  little,  sweeten  it,  and  add  nothing  but  the  rennet  and 
vanilla,  and  grate  nutmeg  over  the  top.  Soda-biscuit  or  but- 
ter-crackers are  good  with  this  custard- 

Stained  Froth. 

Take  the  whites  of  three  or  four  eggs,  and  cut  them  to  a  stiff 
froth,  then  beat  into  them  the  syrup  of  damsons,  blood-peaches, 
or  any  highly  colored  preserve.  This  makes  an  elegant  addi- 
tion to  a  dish  of  soft  custard.  Some  persons,  when  making  cus- 
t.'irds,  lay  the  white  of  eggs,  cut  in  this  way,  upon  the  top  of  .the 
boiling  milk  for  a  minute  or  two.  This  hardens  it,  and  it  is 

taken  off  upon  a  dish,  and  when  the  custard  glasses  are  filled,  a 

piece  of  it  is  laid  upon  the  top  of  each. 


112  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 


TO  PRESERVE  FRUIT  AND  MAKE 
JELLIES. 

A  KETTLE  should  be  kept  on  purpose.  Brass,  if  very  bright, 
will  do.  If  acid  fruit  is  preserved  in  a  brass  kettle  which  is  not 
brigfet,  it  becomes  poisonous.  Bell-metal  is  better  than  brass, 
and  the  iron  ware  lined  with  porcelain,  best  of  all. 

The  chief  art  in  making  nice  preserves,  and  such  as  will  keep, 
consists  in  the  proper  preparation  of  the  syrup,  and  in  boiling 
them  just  long  enough.  English  housekeepers  think  it  necessary 
to  do  them  very  slowly,  and  they  boil  their  sweetmeats  almost 
all  day,  in  a  jar  set  into  a  kettle  of  water.  Brown  sugar  should 
be  clarified.  The  crushed  and  granulated  sugars  are  usually  so 
pure  as  not  to  require  being  clarified.  Loaf  sugar  is  the  best  of 
any.  Clean  brown  sugar  makes  very  good  sweatmeats  for  fam- 
ily use ;  but  the  best  of  sugar  is,  for  most  fruits,  necessary,  to 
make  such  as  will  be  elegant,  and  keep  long. 

Sweetmeats  should  be  boiled  veiy  gently  lest  the  syrup  should 
burn,  and  also  that  the  fruit  may  become  thoroughly  penetrated 
with  the  sugar.  Furious  boiling  breaks  small  and  tender  fruits. 
Too  long  boiling  makes  sweetmeats  dark,  and  some  kinds  are 
rendered  hard  and  tough. 

Preserves  keep  best  in  glass  jars,  which  have  also  this  advan- 
tage, that  you  can  see  whether  or  not  fermentation  has  com- 
menced, without  opening  them.  If  stone  jars  are  used,  those 
with  narrow  mouths  are  best,  as  the  air  is  most  easily  excluded 
from  them;  and  small  sized  ones,  containing  only  enough  for 
once  or  twice,  are  best,  as  the  frequent  opening  of  a  large  jar, 
injures  its  entire  contents,  by  the  repeated. admission  of  the  air. 
When  sweetmeats  are  cold,  cover  them  close,  and  if  not  to  be 
used  soon,  paste  a  paper  over  the  top,  and  with  a  feather,  brush 
over  the  paper  with  white  of  egg.  When  you  have  occa- 
sion to  open  them,  if  a  thick,  leather-looking  mould  covers  them, 
they  are  in  a  good  state,  as  nothing  so  effectually  shuts  out  the 
air ;  but  if  they  are  specked  here  and  there  with  mould,  taste 


j ' 


PRESERVES  AND  JELLIES.  113 

them,  and  if  they  are  injured,  it  should  be  carefully  removed, 
and  the  jar  set  into  a  kettle  of  water  (not  hot  at  first,  lest  the 
it  should  crack)  and  boiled.  If  the  taste  shows  them  to  be  un- 
injured, this  mould  may  be  the  beginning  of  a  leather-mould  ; 
therefore  wait  a  few  days,  and  look  at  them  again,  and  scald 
them  if  necessary.  A  very  good  way  of  scalding  them,  and 
perhaps  the  easiest,  is  to  put  the  jar  (if  it  is  of  stone  ware)  into 
a  brick  oven  as  soon  as  the  bread  is  drawn,  and  let  it  stand  three 
or  four  hours.  If  the  oven  is  quite  warm  a  shorter  time  will  do. 
This,  or  setting  the  jar  into  a  kettle  of  water,  as  mentioned 
above,  is  much  better  than  to  scald  them  in  the  ordinary  way, 
as  they  are  exposed  to  the  air  wrhen  poured  into  the  preserving 
kettle,  and  also  when  returned  to  the  jar. 

In  making  jellies,  the  sugar  should  be  heated  and  should  not 
be  added,  until  the  fruit-juice  boils  ;  and  for  this  reason,  — that 
the  process  is  completed  in  much  less  time  than  if  they  are  put 
together  cold.  Thus  the  diminution  of  the  quantity,  which  long 
boiling  occasions,  is  avoided,  and  the  color  of  the  jelly  is  much 
finer.  Sometimes  ladies  complain  that,  for  some  inexplicable 
reason,  they  cannot  make  their  currant  jelly  harden.  The  true 
reason  was  doubtless  this,  —  that  while  making  it,  it  was  suf- 
fered to  stop  boiling  for  a  few  minutes.  Let  it  boil  gently  but 
steadily,  until  by  taking  a  little  of  it  into  a  cold  silver  spoon, 
you  perceive  that  it  quickly  hardens  around  the  edges.  A  prac- 
tised eye  will  readily  judge  by  the  movement  of  the  liquicf*$s  ifc 
boils.  Put  jelly  in  little  jars,  cups,  or  tumblers ;  when  it  is 
cold,  paste  paper  over  the  top  and  brush  it  over  with  white  of 
egg.  When  this  is  used,  the  old  method  of  putting  brandy 
papers  upon  jelly  is  unnecessary.  Particular  attention  is  re- 
quested to  these  suggestions  in  regard  to  making  jellies. 

To  make  Syrup  for  Preserves. 

Put  a  large  teacup  of  water  for  every  pound  of  sugar.  As  it 
begins  to  heat,  stir  it  often.  When  it  rises  towards  the  top  of 
the  kettle,  put  in  a  cup  of  water ;  repeat  this  process  two  or 
three  times,  then  set  the  kettle  aside.  If  the  sugar  is  perfectly 


114  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

pure,  there  will  be  no  scum  on  the  top.  If  there  is  scum,  after 
it  has  stood  a  few  minutes,  take  it  off  carefully.  If  the  syrup 
then  looks  clear,  it  is  not  necessary  to  strain  it. 

To  clarify  sugar,  put  into  every  two  pounds  a  beaten  white  of 
an  egg.  Five  whites  will  do  for  a  dozen  pounds.  Proportion 
the  sugar  and  water  as  directed  above,  and  after  it  has  boiled 
enough  take  it  from  the  fire,  and  let  it  stand  ten  minutes,  then 
take  the  scum  very  carefully  from  the  top,  and  pour  off  the 
syrup  so  gently  as  not  to  disturb  the  sediment.  Have  the  kettle 
washed,  return  the  syrup,  and  add  the  fruit.  Some  persons 
always  strain  the  syrup  through  a  flannel  bag,  but  if  the  above 
directions  are  observed,  it  is  not  necessary.  To  use  a  flannel 
bag,  always  wring  it  very  dry  in  hot  water.  This  prevents  a 
waste  of  the  article  strained.  The  bag  should  be  soft,  and  not 
fulled  up. 

To  preserve  Apples. 

Weigh  equal  quantities  of  Newtown  pippins,  and  the  best  of 
sugar ;  allow  one  sliced  lemon  for  every  pound.  Make  a  syrup, 
and  then  put  in  the  apples.  Boil  them  until  they  are  tender ; 
then  lay  them  into  the  jars  and  boil  the  syrup  until  it  will  be- 
come a  jelly.  No  other  apple  can  be  preserved  without  break- 
ing. This  keeps  its  shape,  and  is  very  beautiful.  Quarter  the 
apples,  or  take  out  the  core  and  leave  them  whole,  as  you  prefer. 
Other  sour  hard  apples  are  very  good  preserved,  but  none  keep 
as  well,  or  are  as  handsome  as  the  Newtown  pippins. 

Crab  Apples. 

Weigh  them,  and  put  them  into  water  enough  to  almost,  but 
not  quite,  cover  them.  Take  them  out  when  they  have  boiled 
till  a  little  tender,  and  put  into  the  water  as  many  pounds 
of  sugar  as  you  have  of  fruit,  and  boil  it  till  clear,  then  set  it 
aside  till  it  is  cold;  skim  it,  and  return  the  fruit  to  the  kettle,  and 
put  it  again  on  the  fire.  The  moment,  it  actually  boils  take  it 
off;  lay  the  fruit  into  the  jar  with  care,  so  as  not  to  break  it. 


/**• 


PRESERVES    AND    JELLIES.  115 

Pine-apples. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  pine-apple  and  the  best  of  loaf  sugar. 
Slice  the  pine-apple,  put  nearly  or  all  the  sugar  over  it.  Put  it 
in  a  deep  pan,  and  let  it  stand  all  night.  In  the  morning  take 
the  apple  out  and  boil  the  syrup.  When  it  begins  to  simmer, 
put  the  apple  in  and  boil  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  Tie  a 
piece  of  white  ginger  in  a  bit  of  muslin,  and  boil  it  in  the  syrup 
before  adding  the  apple.  After  boiling  the  whole  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes,  take  out  the  apple  and  boil  the  syrup  ten  minutes 
longer ;  then  pour  it  over  the  pine-apple.  The  apples  should 
be  ripe,  and  yet  perfectly  sound.  If  the  syrup  does  not  taste 
enough  of  ginger,  boil  it  with  the  ginger  till  it  suits  the  taste. 

Pine-apples  (without  boiling). 

Select  large,  fresh  pine-apples.  Pare  them  with  a  very  sharp 
knife,  having  a  thin  blade.  Carefully  remove  the  little  prickly 
eyes.  Slice  the  fruit  round  and  round  about  half  an  inch  thick. 
Weigh  a  pound  and  a  quarter  of  best  granulated  sugar,  to  a 
pound  of  fruit ;  and  put  into  a  glass  jar  a  layer  of  sugar,  and 
then  a  layer  of  fruit  till  it  is  filled.  Make  the  layers  of  sugar 
very  thick,  else  you  will  have  a  quantity  left  when  the  fruit  is 
all  laid  in.  Cover  the  jar  close,  and  set  it  in  a  very  cold  place. 
This  will  keep  perfectly,  and  have  the  taste  of  freshly  sugared 
pine-apples  a  year  afterward. 

Blackberries. 

To  a  pound  of  the  low,  running  blackberries,  allow  p,  pound  of 
fine  sugar.  Put  them  together  in  the  preserving  kettle,  the 
fruit  first,  and  the  sugar  on  the  top.  These  berries  are  so  juicy 
that  no  water  will  be  necessary ;  but  they  must  begin  very 
slowly  to  stew,  and  boil  gently  an  hour.  If  blackberries  are 
well  done  at  first,  they  will  not  need  scalding  afterwards. 

The  high  blackberries  are  not  good  preserved,  but  make  an 
excellent  syrup  for  medicinal  purposes. 


' 


116  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Currants. 

Weigh  equal  quantities  of  sugar,  and  fruit  stripped  from  the 
stems.  Boil  the  fruit  ten  minutes,  stirring  it  often,  and  crushing 
it.  Add  the  sugar,  and  boil  another  ten  minutes.  Measure  the 
time  from  the  minute  boiling  commences.  This  keeps  till  cur- 
rants come  again.  Clean  brown  sugar  does  very  well.  If  it  is 
to  be  used  up  in  the  course  of  the  autumn,  ten  or  twelve  ounces 
of  sugar  to  a  pound  of  fruit  is  enough. 

Cranberry  Sauce. 

Pour  very  hot  water  upon  the  fruit,  as  it  will  thus  be  easy 
to  pick  out  the  bad  ones.  Measure  them,  and  put  them  into 
the  preserving-kettle  with  water  enough  nearly  to  cover  them. 
Stir  them  very  often ;  see  that  they  do  not  boil  too  fast. 
'  Crush  the  fruit  as  it  boils  with  a  wooden  ladle  or  spoon. 
When  the  berries  are  crushed,  add  a  pint  of  fine  sugar 
for  every  quart  of  berries,  and  allow  them  to  boil  gently  fif- 
teen minutes,  stirring  them  almost  all  the  time.  Wet  in 
cold  water  moulds  or  bowls  of  a  size  to  hold  sauce  enough 
for  use  at  one  dinner. 

Cranberries  keep  very  well  in  a  firkin  of  water  in  the  cellar, 
and  if  so  kept,  can  be  stewed  fresh  at  any  time  during  the  win- 
ter. 

Damsons. 

Wash,  drain,  and  weigh  them,  put  them  into  the  kettle,  and 
add  the  same  weight  of  sugar  and  (to  six  or  eight  pounds)  a. 
pint  of  water.  Boil  them  gently  but  steadily  an  hour ;  press 
the  top  ones  down  carefully,  several  times.  They  will  break 
some,  and  the  pricking  each  one  with  a  needle  before  stewing 
them,  makes  little,  if  any  difference.  But  they  break  less  than 
other  small  plums,  and  are  more  solid.  The  syrup  gives  an 
elegant  color  to  a  beaten  white  of  egg,  for  ornamenting  custards 
or  delicate  puddings. 

Other  small  sized  blue  plums  are  preserved  in  the  same  way. 


PRESERVES EGG  PLUMS,  PEACHES.        117 

Egg  Plums. 

To  make  the  most  elegant  of  all  plum  sweetmeats,  take  the 
5)uane,  or  the  Egg  plums,  ripe,  but  not  very  ripe.  The  skin 
can  usually  be  pulled  off.  If  you  cannot  remove  it  without 
tearing  the  fruit,  pour  on  boiling  water,  and  instantly  pour  it  off, 
or  lay  them  into  a  cullender,  and  dip  boiling  water  over  them 
once.  Allow  equal  quantities  of  fruit  and  sugar,  and  make  the 
syrup  in  the  usual  way.  Then  lay  in  a  few  plums  at  a  time, 
and  boil  gently  five  minutes ;  lay  them  into  a  jar  as  you  take 
them  from  the  kettle,  and  when  all  are  done,  pour  the  boiling 
syrup  over  them.  After  two  days,  drain  off  the  syrup,  boil  it, 
and  pour  it  upon  them  again.  Do  this  every  two  or  three  days 
till  they  look  clear.  Then,  if  you  wish  the  syrup  to  be  very 
thick,  boil  it  half  an  hour,  and  when  cold,  pour  it  upon  the 
plums. 

Peaches. 

Select  peaches  that  are  ripe,  but  not  soft.  Pour  boiling 
water  upon  them,  and  let  it  stand  five  or  six  minutes ;  then  pour 
it  off,  and  pull  off  the  skins.  This  is  the  easiest  way,  and  the 
most  economical,  as  none  of  the  peach  is  wasted  with  the  skin. 
In  a  lot  of  peaches  for  preserving,  there  ma'y  be  a  few  that  you 
will  have  to  pare ;  but  most  of  them  will  part  with  the  skin 
when  scalded,  except  the  cling-stones. 

Weigh  equal  quantities  of  fruit  (with  the  stones  in),  and  fino 
sugar,  and  put  them  together  in  an  earthen  pan  over  night. 
The  next  day  pour  off  the  syrup,  and  boil  it  a  few  minutes ; 
then  set  off  the  kettle  and  remove  the  scum.  Return  the  kettle 
to  the  fire,  and  when  it  boils  lay  the  peaches  into  it.  Boil  them 
very  slowly  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  then  lay  them  into  the 
jars  ;  boil  the  syrup  fifteen  minutes  more,  and  pour  over  them. 

The  blood  peaches  are  a  beautiful  fruit  when  preserved.  The 
yellow  ding-stone  is  handsome,  but  very  inconvenient  as  the 
fruit  adheres  so  closely  to  the  stone.  Almost  any  kind  of  peach 
is  good,  stewed  in  half  a  pound  of  clean  brown  sugar  to  a 
pound  of  stoned  fruit,  and  will  keep  several  weeks  in  the 
autumn. 


118  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Pears. 

Weigh  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  sugar  for  a  pound  of 
pears.  Boil  the  fruit  whole,  with  the  stems  on,  in  barely  water 
enough  to  cover  them,  till  they  are  tender,  but  not  very  soft. 
Then  take  them  from  the  kettle,  and  put  in  the  sugar,  boil  it  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes,  then  set  it  off,  and  after  removing  the  scum, 
put  in  the  pears,  and  boil  them  till  they  begin  to  have  a  clear 
look.  The  difference  in  the  size,  and  in  the  solidity  of  this 
fruit  is  so  great  that  exact  directions  as  to  time  cannot  be  given. 
When  you  have  laid  the  pears  into  jars,  boil  the  syrup  another 
half  hour,  skim  it  if  necessary,  and  then  pour  it  upon  the  fruit. 
If  you  wish  to  give  a  more  decided  flavor  to  preserved  pears, 
add  peach  water,  or  sliced  lemons,  when  the  syrup  is  boiling. 
Clean  brown  sugar  does  very  well  for  preserving  this  fruit. 

In  selecting  pears  to  preserve,  choose  such  as  are  rather  acid. 
The  sweet  ones  are  best  baked.  The  Iron  pears,  if  you  will 
have  patience  to  boil  them  long  enough,  make  an  excellent  pre- 
serve. Divide  them  into  halves  or  quarters  if  you  choose.  But 
they  are  often  done  whole.  Boil  them  in  just  water  enough, 
covered  close,  two  or  three  hours.  Make  a  syrup  as  directed 
above,  and  boil  them  in  it  an  hour  and  a  half. 

Quinces. 

Procure  the  apple,  or  orange  quince.  It  is  much  less  apt  to 
be  hard,  when  preserved,  than  the  pear  quince.  Pare  and  core 
the  fruit,  and  allow  equal  weights  of  fruit  and  fine  sugar.  Boil 
quinces  in  water  enough  to  cover  them,  till  they  are  tender ; 
then  take  them  out  one  by  .one  with  a  silver  spoon  and  lay  them 
separately  on  a  flat  dish.  Make  a  syrup  and  save  all  the  water 
not  used  for  it.  When  it  is  ready,  return  the  fruit  to  the  kettle, 
and  boil  it  slowly  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  then  lay  it  in  jars, 
and  pour  the  syrup  over  it.  It  is  a  good  way  to  cut  part  of  the 
quinces  in  halves,  and  preserve  a  part  of  them  whole.  Remove 
the  cores  with  a  fruit-corer,  or  if  you  have  not  this,  use  a  com- 
mon tap-borer ;  it  answers  the  purpose  very  well. 


PRESERVES QUINCES. 

Quinces  with  Sweet  Apples. 

To  increase  the  quantity,  without  an  addition  of  sugar,  have 
as  many  large  fair  sweet  apples  pared,  quartered,  and  cored,  as 
will  weigh  one  third  as  much  as  the  quince.  When  the  quince 
is  boiled  enough  take  it  out,  and  put  the  sweet  apples  into  the 
syrup,  and  boil  them  till  they  begin  to  look  red  and  clear ;  an 
hour  and  a  half  will  not  be  too  long.  Then  put  the  quince  and 
apple  into  the  jars  in  alternate  layers.  The  flavor  of  the  quince 
will  so  entirely  penetrate  the  apple,  that  the  one  cannot  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  other,  and  the  sugar  necessary  to  preserve 
the  quince,  will  be  sufficient  for  the  apple. 

Quinces  (without  boiling  the  Syrup). 

TVeigh  twelve  ounces  of  sugar  for  every  pound  of  fruit.  Boil 
the  quinces  in  water  enough  to  cover  them,  until  they  are  so 
soft  that  care  is  necessary  not  to  break  them,  in  taking  them 
out.  Drain  the  pieces  a  little  as  you  take  them  from  the  water, 
and  put  them  into  a  jar  in  alternate  layers  with  the  sugar. 
Cover  the  jar  close  as  soon  as  it  is  filled,  and  paste  a  paper  over 
the  top.  Quinces  done  in  this  way  are  very  elegant,  about  the 
color  of  oranges,  and  probably  will  not  need  scalding  to  keep 
them  as  long  as  you  wish.  If  any  tendency  to  fermentation 
appears,  as  may  be  the  case  by  the  following  April  or  May,  set 
the  jar  (if  it  is  stone)  into  a  brick  oven  after  bread  has  been 
baked,  and  the  quince  will  become  a  beautiful  light  red,  and  will 
keep  almost  any  length  of  time,  and  never  become  hard. 

It  may  be  well  to  mention  that  in  damp  houses,  none  of  the 
fruits  preserved  without  boiling  keep  as  well  as  those  which  are 
boiled.  I  have  known  a  very  few  instances  in  which  persons 
who  were  skilful  in  all  these  things  did  not  succeed  in  preserv- 
ing fruits  in  this  way. 

The  water  in  which  quinces  are  boiled  should  be  saved.  Boil 
the  parings  in  it  for  a  short  time,  if  you  intend  to  make  a  jelly, 
as  long  boiling  them  will  make  the  water  less  clear.  If  "you  do 
not  make  jelly,  boil  the  parings  a  good  while,  then  strain  off  the 
water,  and  when  it  is  cold  bottle  it.  It  will  keep  without  the 


•  120  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

addition  of  sugar  two  or  three  weeks,  and  will  give  a  fine  flavor 
to  apple-pies  or  sauce.  There  is  so  much  richness  in  the  par- 
ings of  quinces  that  they  should  never  be  thrown  away  without 
being  boiled.  The  fruit  should  therefore  be  washed  and  wiped 
before  it  is  pared,  and  all  defective  parts  removed. 

[The  pear  quince,  though  it  becomes  hard  when  preserved, 
and  therefore  is  not  as  good  for  that  purpose  as  the  orange 
quince,  is  very  rich,  and  makes  fine  marmalade.] 

Marmalade. 

Wash  and  wipe  the  quinces,  and  take  out  any  dark  spots 
there  may  be  on  the  skins.  Cut  them  up  without  paring,  cores 
and  all ;  cover  them  with  water  in  the  preserving  kettle,  and 
boil  them  until  they  are  soft  enough  to  be  rubbed  through  a 
coarse  hair  sieve.  Then  weigh  equal  quantities  of  pulp  and 
refined  sugar,  and  boil  the  mixture  an  hour,  stirring  it  steadily. 

The  pear  quinces  are  much  the  best  for  marmalade ;  and 
a  quarter  of  the  weight  of  sweet  apples  may  be  added,  with- 
out any  more  sugar. 

Put  it  into  moulds  or  deep  plates,  and  when  it  is  cold  put  a 
paper  over  it,  pasted  at  the  edges,  and  brushed  with  white  of 
egg.  Marmalade  can  be  kept  for  almost  any  length  of  time. 

Strawberries. 

Take  large  strawberries  not  extremely  ripe ;  weigh  equal 
quantities  of  fruit  and  best  sugar ;  lay  the  fruit  in  a  dish,  and 
sprinkle  half  the  sugar  over  it ;  shake  the  dish  a  little,  that  the 
sugar  may  touch  all  the  fruit.  Next  day  make  a  syrup  of  the 
remainder  of  the  sugar  and  the  juice  which  you  can  pour  off 
from  the  fruit  in  the  pan,  and  as  it  boils  lay  in  the  strawberries, 
and  boil  them  gently  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour. 

Another, 

Weigh  'equal  quantities  of  fruit  and  sugar,  and  put  them  to- 
gether over  night.  The  next  day  boil  the  strawberries  long 
enough  to  scald  without  shrinking  them,  —  six  or  eight  minutes 


PRESERVES APPLE    JAM,    ETC.  121 

after  they  commence  boiling.  Then  skim  them  out,  and  boil 
away  the  syrup  half  an  hour ;  then  pour  it,  hot,  upon  the  straw- 
berries. 

Apple  Jam  (which  will  keep  for  years). 

Weigh  equal  quantities  of  brown  sugar  and  good  sour  apples. 
Pare  and  core  them,  and  chop  them  fine.  Make  a  syrup  of  the 
sugar,  and  clarify  it  very  thoroughly  ;  then  add  the  apples,  the 
grated  peel  of  two  or  three  lemons,  and  a  few  pieces  of  white 
ginger.  Boil  it  till  the  apple  looks  clear  and  yellow.  This  re- 
sembles foreign  sweetmeats.  The  ginger  is  essential  to  its 
peculiar  excellence. 

Pine-Apple  Jam. 

Grate  sound  but  ripe  pine-apples,  and  to  a  pound  put  three 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  loaf  sagar.  Make  a  syrup  and  boil  the 
grated  pine-apple  in  it  fifteen  minutes. 

Grape  Jam. 

Boil  grapes  very  soft,  and  strain  them  through  a  sieve. 
Weigh  the  pulp  thus  obtained,  and  put  a  pound  of  crushed 
sugar  to  a  pound  of  pulp.  Boil  it  forty  minutes,  stirring  it 
often.  The  common  wild  grape  is  much  the  best  for  this  use. 

Quince  Jam. 

Weigh  twelve  ounces  of  brown  sugar  to  one  pound  of  quince. 
Boil  the  fruit  in  as  little  water  as  will  do,  until  it  is  sufficiently 
soft  to  break  easily ;  then  pour  off  all  the  water  and  mash  it 
with  a  spoon  until  entirely  broken ;  put  in  the  sugar,  and  boil 
twenty  minutes,  stirring  it  very  often. 

Another. 

Chop  a  pound  of  quince  (not  boiled)  in  a  pound  of  best  sugar. 
When  chopped  fine,  boil  it  twenty  minutes.  If  you  have  some 
of  the  water  in  which  quinces  have  been  boiled,  put  in  a  gill; 


122  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPERS    FRIES L>. 

if  you  have  not  this,  use  pure  water.  This  is  very  goody  but 
not  as  easily  digested  as  the  other. 

Raspberry  Jam. 

Pick  the  fruit  over  very  carefully,  as  it  is  more  apt  than  any 
other  to  be  infested  with  worms.  Weigh  equal  quantities  of 
fruit  and  sugar ;  put  the  fruit  into  the  kettle,  or  preserving  pan, 
break  it  with  a  ladle,  and  stir  continually.  Let  it  boil  quickly 
four  or  five  minutes,  then  add  the  sugar,  and  simmer  slowly  a 
little  while.  The  fruit,  preserved  in  this  way,  retains  its  fresh 
taste  much  better  than  if  the  sugar  is  added  at  first.  It  is 
scarcely  inferior  to  raspberries  gathered  from  the  vines.  Some 
persons  prefer  to  add  currants  or  currant  juice.  A  quart  of 
currant  juice  to  four  quarts  of  raspberries  is  a  good  proportion. 
Boil  it  up,  and  put  the  fruit  into  it.  If  you  wish  to  add  cur- 
rants, take  fresh,  ripe  ones,  a  quart  to  three  quarts  of  raspber- 
ries. 

Cherry  Jam. 

For  one  pound  of  cherries  allow  three-quarters  of  a  pound 
of  sugar.  Stone  them,  and  add  the  sugar  gradually  while 
yon  are  stoning  them.  Let  them  stand  all  night.  The  next 
day  boil  them  gently,  until  the  cherries  and  sugar  have  be- 
come a  thick  smooth  mass. 

Crab-Apple  Marmalade. 

•  Stew  the  apples  in  just  enough  water  to  prevent  them 
from  burning.  R-ub  them  through  a  sieve  as  soon  as  they 
are  soft,  and  to  each  pound  of  +he  pulp  put  a  pound  of  white 
sugar.  Return  them  to  the  kettle,  and  stew  slowly,  stirring 
all  the  time  until  thick.  Put  a  spoonful  of  the  marmalade 
upon  the  ice.  If  it  cuts  smooth  when  perfectly  cold,  it  is 
ready  to  take  up.  Put  into  deep  dishes,  as  you  do  quince 
marmalade. 

Crab-apples  may  be  stewed  to  use  occasionally  for  a  few 
weeks,  with  less  sugar  than  when  preserved.  Stew  them  till 
slightly  tender,  then  add  the  sugar.  The  red  crab-apples  are 
handsomest. 


t 


JELLIES CRAB- APPLE,    BARBERRY,    ETC.  123 

Apple  Jelly. 

Take  good  sour  apples,  wash  and  wipe  them,  cut  out  any 
black  spots  upon  the  skin,  and  cut  them  up  without  paring  or 
coring.  Much  of  the  richness  of  the  apple  is  in  the  skin  and 
core.  Boil  them  in  water  enough  to  cover  them,  and  when  they 
become  very  soft,  put  the  whole  into  a  coarse  linen  bag,  and 
suspend  it  between  two  chairs,  with  a  pan  under  it,  and  leave  it 
until  it  ceases  to  drip.  Then  press  it.  Allow  a  pound  of 
fine  sugar  to  a  pint  of  apple-syrup.  Boil  up  the  syrup,  and 
skim  it ;  heat  the  sugar  in  a  dish  in  the  stove-oven,  and  add 
it  as  the  syrup  boils  up,  after  being  skimmed.  Boil  gently 
an  hour.  A  short  time  before  taking  it  up,  add  two  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  essence  of  lemon  for  every  three  quarts  of  apple- 
syrup.  To  make  it  a  very  rich  color,  like  guava,  boil  it  two 
hours. 

Crab- Apple  Jelly. 

Boil  the  fruit  in  water  enough  to  cover  it,  until  it  is  perfectly 
soft ;  then  proceed  just  as  directed  in  the  last  receipt. 

Barberry  Jelly. 

This  is  made  by  boiling  the  fruit  until  the  water  is  very 
strongly  flavored  with  it ;  then  put  a  pound  ofl  best  sugar  to  a 
pint  of  juice.  It  should  boil  a  little  longer  than  currant  or 
quince  jelly. 

Cranberry  Jelly. 

Wash  and  pick  over  the  fruit  carefully,  and  boil  it  till  very 
soft  in  water  enough  to  cover  it.  Then  strain  it  through  a  hair 
sieve,  and  weigh  equal  quantities  of  the  pulp  and  fine  sugar. 
Boil  it  gently,  and  with  care  that  it  does  not  burn,  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes. 

Currant  Jelly. 

Pick  over  the  fruit,  but  leave  it  on  the  stems.  Put  it  into 
the  preserving  kettle,  and  break  it  with  a  ladle  or  spoon,  and 
when  it  is  hot,  squeeze  it  in  a  coarse  linen  bag  until  you  can 


124  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

press  out  no  more  juice.  Then  weigh  a  pound  of  sugar  to  a 
pint  of  juice.  Sift  the  sugar,  and  heat  it  as  hot  as  possible 
without  dissolving  or  burning  ;  boil  the  juice  five  minutes  very 
fast,  and  while  boiling  add  the  hot  sugar,  stir  it  well,  and  when 
it  has  boiled  again  five  minutes,  set  it  off.  The  time  must  be 
strictly  observed.  Jelly  to  eat  with  meat  does  very  well  made 
with  brown  sugar,  but  must  boil  longer. 

Quince  Jelly. 

Take  the  water  in  which  quinces  have  been  boiled  for  pre- 
serving and  for  marmalade,  and  boil  the  clean  parings  until 
they  are  soft.  (See  directions  in  the  receipt  for  preserving 
quinces  without  boiling  the  syrup).  Then  strain  the  water 
while  very  hot  through  a  flannel  bag,  and  allow  a  pound  of  best 
sugar  for  every  pint.  Put  the  sugar  on  a  dish  into  the  stove 
oven  to  heat ;  boil  up  the  quince  water  ;  if  any  scum  rises,  take 
it  off,  and  then  stir  in  the  hot  sugar,  and  boil  it  slowly,  but 
steadily,  twenty  minutes,  or  half  an  hour.  The  time  necessary 
will  depend  somewhat  on  the  water  being  more  or  less  strongly 
flavored  with  the  fruit. 

Directions  for  canning  Fruit. 

Tomatoes  should  be  taken  fresh,  ripe,  but  not  soft.  Scald 
them  ten  minutes  in  their  own  liquor ;  add  nothing,  not  even 
salt.  Put  them  into  cans  the  moment  they  are  scalded.  Tin 
cans  will  keep  them  good  longest  because  they  do  not  admit 
the  light. 

Gilmore's  cans  are  made  of  best  tin,  are  most  easily  closed  - 
and  experience  proves  them  to  be  perfectly  adapted  for  keep- 
ing fruit.  Put  them  into  hot  water ;  drain  them  quickly  one 
at  a  time ;  set  it  by  the  side  of  the  preserving-kettle  ;  fill  it, 
and  instantly  put  on  the  cover,  and  turn  down  the  screw. 
These  directions  apply  to  all  the  various  kinds  of  cans. 

Peaches  should  be  ripe  'enough  to  eat,  but  not  soft.  Pare, 
stone,  and  weigh  them,  For  two  pounds  of  peaches  make  a 


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JELLIES  —  PIXE-APPLE,    ETC.  125 

syrup  of  two  heaping  cups  of  sugar  and  three  of  water.  Then 
add  the  peaches,  and  boil  them  ten  or  twelve  minutes ;  then 
lay  them  with  a  silver  spoon  into  a  quart  can  or  glass  jar ;  fill 
it  with' the  syrup,  and  screw  down  the  cover;  then  add  to  the 
remaining  syrup  two  pounds  more  of  peaches,  boil  as  before, 
and  these  will  fill  another  jar.  "Mason's  improved  jar  "  is 
highly  recommended. 

Before  using  glass  cans,  fill  them  with  quite  warm  water, 
and  then  with  boiling  water.  Drain  it  out  quickly,  set  the 
can  by  the  kettle,  fill  it  full,  put  on  the  rubber  ring,  then 
press  the  cover  on.  Care  is  necessary  to  avoid  breaking  glass 
cans. 

Allow  for  preserving  strawberries,  raspberries,  and 
blackberries,  a  heaping  cup  of  fine  sugar  to  a  pound  of 
fruit.  Spread  it  over  them  a  little  while  before  you  are  ready 
to  stew  them.  Boil  them  gently  till  cooked. 

For  cherries  and.  plums,  quinces  andpears,  a  sryup  should 
be  made.  Allow  a  full  cup  of  sugar  with  half  a  cup  of 
water  for  every  pound  of  fruit.  Cherries  and  plums  will  re- 
quire twenty  minutes7  boiling ;  quinces  and  pears  should  be 
boiled  till  beginning  to  be  tender. 

Pine-apple  should  be  sliced,  pared,  and  the  prickly  eyes  tak- 
en out ;  then  weighed,  and  put  into  a  tray,  and  chopped  with  a 
chopping-knife.  Drain  the  juice  which  flows  out  into  the 
preserving-kettle,  and  put  to  it  sugar,  half  the  weight  of  the 
fruit.  When  the  syrup  boils  up,  put  in  the  chopped  pine-apple. 
Scald  it  eight  minutes,  then  put  it  into  cans. 

Apple  stewed  and  canned  without  sugar  will  keep  good  a 
long  time  ;  the  spice  and  sugar  to  be  added  when  made  into 
pies. 

Whortleberries  stewed  and  canned  make  as  nice  pies, 
months  afterward,  as  fresh  berries.  Allow  a  half  a  cup  of  sugar 
to  a  quart  of  berries.  When  made  into  pies,  more  sugar  can  be 
added  if  they  are  not  sweet  enough. 


126  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

If  you  use  cans  which  are  closed  with  rosin,  proceed  in  the 
same  way.  Have  the  rosin  ready  hot,  and  dip  it  into  the  groove 
with  a  small  tin  ladle  made  for  the  purpose.  Avoid  getting  any 
of  the  rosin  into  the  fruit,  as  a  single  drop  will  make  the  whole 
contents  of  the  can  bitter.  To  open  a  can  closed  in  this  way, 
set  it  where  the  rosin  will  become  a  little  warm,  so  that  the 
lid  can  be  easily  removed.  If  it  is  melted,  it  will  be  difficult 
to  prevent  some  of  it  from  falling  into  the  open  place.  The 
essentials  to  success  are,  to  have  the  can  hot,  to  fill  it  full, 
and  to  close  it  immediately. 


BAKED    AND    STEWED    FRUITS. 

THESE  are  economical,  excellent,  and  healthy ;  and  it  is  well 
worth  while  for  every  family  possessing  only  a  plot  of  ground 
large  enough  for  two  trees,  to  set  out  a  pear  and  sweet  apple 
tree. 

Apple  Sauce. 

Put  a  quart  of  water  in  a  porcelain  saucepan,  with  two 
cups  of  white  sugar,  and  half  a  lemon  sliced,  or  a  stick  of 
cinnamon.  When  it  has  boiled  about  five  minutes,  add  as 
many  apples,  pared  and  quartered,  as  the  syrup  will  receive. 
Stew  gently  until  they  are  tender,  and  look  clear,  but  do  not 
stir  them.  Take  up  carefully  with  a  skimmer.  Spitzenberg 
apples  are  especially  nice  for  this  sauce ;  but  russets,  or  any 
solid  sour  apple,  are  very  good. 

Boiled  Quinces. 

People  who  raise  quinces  can  have  a  nice  dish  for  the  tea- 
table  with  very  little  expense.  Pare  and  quarter  them,  and 
boil  them  with  but  little  water  in  a  covered  saucepan,  until 
they  are  tender.  Eat  them  with  cream  and  powdered  sugar. 

Steamed  Sweet  Apples. 

Wash  and  wipe  a  pailful  of  sweet  apples ;  put  them  into  a 
porcelain  kettle,  with  cold  water  enough  to  come  half-way  to- 
ward the  top,  cover  them  and  boil  them  slowly  as  possible  an 


BAKED    AND   STEWED    FRUITS.  127 

hour.  Then  try  them  with  a  fork,  and  turn  down  the  upper 
side  of  those  which  lie  on  the  top.  If  they  are  considerably 
softened,  scatter  a  coffee-cup  of  brown  sugar  over  them,  cover 
them  close,  and  let  them  remain  boiling  another  hour.  Very 
large  apples  need  half  an  hour  more. 

Baked  Sweet  Apples, 

If  they  are  of  a  good  kind,  they  are  very  nice  baked  in  an 
earthen  dish,  which  is  better  than  tin.  If  you  cook  them  in  a 
stove,  there  should  be  a  little  water  in  the  pan,  else  the  juice 
will  burn  and  be  lost.  They  are  best  done  in  a  brick  oven. 
Put  them  into  a  jar  with  no  water  or  sugar,  but  cover  them 
close,  and  bake  five  or  six  hours.  A  rich  syrup  will  be  found 
in  the  bottom  of  the  jar,  and  the  appearance  and  flavor  of  the 
apples  will  be  very  fine. 

Baked  Sour  Apples. 

These  are  best  baked  in  a  stove.  They  require  only  an  hour. 
There  should  b>  a  little  water  in  the  dish.  Just  before  they 
are  done,  sprinkle  a  little  brown  sugar  upon  them,  dip  the  syrup 
over  them,  and  cover  them  close  till  wanted  for  the  table.  They 
are  good  done  in  this  way  to  eat  at  breakfast  or  tea  ;  and  also  at 
dinner,  with  any  meat  requiring  apple  sauce.  Take  out  the 
cores  before  baking  them  if  you  choose. 

Baked  Pears. 

The  common  early  pears  are  very  good  put  into  a  jar  with- 
out paring,  and  with  a  teacup  of  molasses  to  every  two  quarts 
of  pears.  But  little  water  is  necessary.  Bake  them  five  or  six 
hours  in  a  brick  oven  ;  two  in  a  range  or  stove.  If  you  wish 
them  more  delicate,  pare  them,  and  put  a  teacup  of  sugar  in- 
stead of  molasses.  The  later  and  larger  fall  pears  are  very 
nice  baked  in  a  dish  ;  but  most  kinds  of  heavy  winter  pears  can- 
not be  baked  so  as  to  be  tender. 

Boiled  Cider  Apple-Sauce. 

Take  apples,  sweet  and  sour  together,  that  will   not  keep 


128  THE'  YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

long,  and  pare  a  large  quantity.  When  finished,  wash  and  put 
them  into  a  bright  brass  kettle,  in  which  you  have  turned  down 
an  old  dish  or  large  plate,  that  will  nearly  cover  the  bottom ; 
this  is  to  prevent  the  apple  from  burning.  After  you  have  put 
in  all  the  apples,  pour  in  a  quart  of  cider  (boiled  as  directed  in 
the  receipt  for  boiled  cider)  to  every  pailful  of  apples.  After  it 
has  boiled  an  hour  or  two,  add  molasses  in  the  proportion  of 
two  quarts  to  every  four  pails  of  apples.  If  you  have  refuse 
quinces,  a  peck  of  them  gives  a  fine  flavor  to  a  large  kettle  of 
apple-sauce.  The  best  way  to  boil  apple-sauce  is  to  put  the  ket- 
tle over  the  fire  at  night,  and  let  the  apple  become  partly  done 
before  bed-time.  When  you  leave  it  for  the  night,  see  that  the 
fire  lies  in  such  a  way,  that  all  parts  of  the  apple  boil  equally, 
and  that  no  brands  can  fall.*  Burn  charcoal  or  peat  if  you 
have  it;  as  either  of  these  will  make  a  steady  fire,  and  may  be 
left  without  danger  from  snapping.  The  chief  things  to  be 
observed,  are,  that  there  is  not  too  much  fire,  that  it  lies  safely, 
and  that  it  will  afford  a  moderate  heat  several  hours.  In  the 
morning  the  apple-sauce  will  be  of  a  fine  red  color,  and  must 
then  be  put  away  in  firkins  or  stone  jars.  Never  use  potter's 
ware  for  this  purpose. 

Sweet  Apple  Marmalade. 

This  is  made  by  boiling  sweet  apples  alone,  in  cider  made  of 
sweet  apples,  and  boiled  down  so  as  to  be  very  rich.  The  sauce 
is  in  this  case  strained  warm  through  a  very  coarse  sieve  or 
riddle,  and  boiled  again  a  little  while ;  or  it  may  be  put  into 
deep  dishes  and  set  into  the  oven  after  the  bread  is  drawn. 

Coddled  Apples. 

Take  fair  early  apples,  wipe  them,  lay  them  in  a  preserving 
kettle,  and  put  to  half  a  peck  a  coffee-cup  of  brown  sugar,  and 

*  As  the  open  fire-place  is  now  seldom  in  use,  these  directions  will  not 
often  be  apropos.  But  where  a  range  or  coal  stove  is  used,  a  large  kettle 
of  apple-sauce  can,  with  care,  be  done  well,  on  the  top  with  the  cover 
under  it. 


BAKED   AND   STEWED   FRUITS.  129 

half  a  pint  of  water.     Cover  them  and  boil  them  gently,  until 
they  are  tender  and  penetrated  with  the  sugar. 

They  may  be  done  quite  as  well  in  a  jar  in  the  oven,  but 
care  must  be  taken  that  they  are  not  cooked  too  much.  Early 
apples  will  bake  with  a  very  moderate  heat. 

Common  Family  Apple-Sauce. 

Let  your  stock  of  apples  be  picked  over  several  times  in  the 
course  of  the  winter,  and  all  the  defective  ones  taken  out.  Let 
the  good  parts  of  these  be  pared,  and  if  not  used  for  pies,  be 
made  into  apple-sauce.  Boil  it  in  a  preserving  kettle.  After 
it  is  tender,  add  sugar  to  your  taste,  and  boil  it  gently  fifteen 
minutes  longer.  Towards  spring,  when  apples  somewhat  lose 
their  taste,  the  flavor  will  be  improved  by  adding  the  juice 
and  rind  of  lemon. 

Boiled  Pears. 

These  are  eaten  with  roast  meat  instead  of  apple  or  cranberry 
sauce.  Choose  fair,  smooth  ones ;  put  them  into  cold  water  and 
boil  them  whole,  without  paring  and  without  sugar.  It  will 
take  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  half,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
fruit. 

To  Stew  Dried  Apples  or  Peaches. 

Wash  them  in  two  or  three  waters,  and  put  them  to  soak  in 
rather  more  water  than  will  cover  them,  as  they  absorb  a  great 
deal.  After  soaking  two  hours,  put  them  into  a  preserving 
kettle  in  the  same  water,  and  with  a  lemon  or  orange  cut  up ; 
boil  them  till  very  tender ;  when  they  rise  up  in  the  kettle  press 
them  down  with  a  skimmer  or  spoon,  but  do  not  stir  them. 
When  they  are  tender,  add  clean  brown  sugar,  and  boil  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  longer. 

Dried  apples  are  rendered  tasteless  by  being  strained  or 
stirred  so  as  to  break  them  up ;  and  they  are  also  injured  by 
soaking  over  night. 

If  they  are  to  be  used  for  pies,  there  should  be  more  sugar 


THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

added  than  for  sauce,  and  a  small  piece  of  butter  stirred  in 
while  they  are  hot.  Nutmeg  and  clove  are  good  spices  for 
dried  apple-pies. 

Dried  peaches  are  done  in  the  same  way,  only  the  lemon  and 
spice  are  omitted ;  and  they  should  be  soaked  a  longer  time 
before  boiling. 


HOW     TO     SELECT    AND     TAKE     CARE     OF 

BEEF,    MUTTON,    LAMB,    VEAL,    AND 

PORK. 

Ox  beef  is  the  best ;  next  to  this  the  flesh  of  an  heifer ;  and 
both  are  in  perfection  during  the  first  three  months  of  the  year. 
Choose  that,  the  lean  of  which  is  red  and  of  a  fine  grain,  and 
the  fat  of  which  is  white.*  In  cold  weather,  if  YOU  have  a 
large  family,  it  is  good  economy  to  buy  a  quarter.  The  hind 
quarter  is  considered  best.  Have  the  butcher  cut  it  up.  Pack 
the  roasting  pieces,  which  you  do  not  want  soon,  in  a  barrel  of 
snow,  and  set  it  where  it  will  not  melt.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
freeze  the  meat  first.  The  leg  will  furnish,  besides  a  piece  to 
cook  alamode,  two  or  three  to  smoke.  The  thin  pieces  at  the 
end  of  the  ribs  are  good  corned,  and  the  flank  also  ;  or  it  may 
be  used  for  mince  pies.  The  shank,  although  it  has  but  little 
meat,  is  very  good  for  some  purposes.  It  should  be  cut  up  into 
several  pieces  and  boiled  four  or  five  hours,  no  matter  how  long. 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  marrow  and  fat  in  it  which,  when  cold, 
should  be  taken  off  and  clarified  for  various- uses.  The  meat  is 
good  used  as  is  directed  in  the  receipt  for  brawn,  and  the  liquor 
makes  excellent  soup  and  gravies. 

The  best  roasting  pieces  of  beef  are  the  sirloin,  the  second 

*  The  flesh  of  diseased  cattle  is  sometimes  sold  in  citr  markets.  There- 
fore never  buy  beef  the  fat  of  which  is  very  yellow,  nor  mutton  and  lamb 
unless  the  fat  is  white.  Yellow  fat  indicates  that  the  meat  is  of  an  un- 
aeahhy  kind. 


DIRECTIONS   RESPECTING   MEAT.  131 

cut  in  the  fore  quarter,  and  the  rump.  If  you  buy  a  sirloin  for 
a  family  of  six  or  eight,  get  eight  or  ten  pounds.  Cut  off  the 
thin  end  in  which  there  is  no  bone.  It  is  very  good  corned,  and 
not  very  good  roasted.  The  roasting  piece  will  still  be  large 
enough  for  the  family  dinner,  and  the  corned  piece  will  do  for 
another  day,  with  a  pudding  or  another  small  dish  of  meat.  The 
back  part  of  the  rump  is  a  convenient  and  economical  piece, 
especially  for  a  small  family.  It  is  a  long  and  rather  narrow 
piece,  weighing  about  ten  pounds,  and  contains  less  fat  and  bone 
than  any  other,  equally  good,  in  the  ox.  The  thickest  end 
affords  nice  steaks,  and  next  to  them  is  a  good  roasting  piece, 
and  the  thinnest  end  which  contains  the  bone,  is  very  good 
corned,  or  for  a  soup.  The  whole  is  an  excellent  piece  for 
roasting,  in  case  so  large  a  one  is  needed. 

The  spring  is  the  best  season  for  mutton.  That  which  is  not 
very  large  is  to  be  preferred.  It  should  be  of  a  good  red  and 
white,  and  fine  grained.  There  is  a  great  difference  between 
mutton  and  lamb  killed  from  a  pasture,  and  that  which  has  been 
driven  a  distance  to  market. 

Lamb  is  best  in  July  and  August. 

Veal  is  best  in  the  spring.  It  should  look  white  and  be  fat. 
The  breast  is  particularly  nice  stuffed;  the  loin  should  be 
roasted.  The  leg  is  an  economical  piece,  as  you  can  take  off 
cutlets  from  the  large  end,  make  broth  of  the  shank,  and  stuff 
and  roast  the  centre. 

Roasting  pieces  of  all  kinds  of  ribbed  meat,  except  beef, 
should  be  jointed  by  the  butcher,  else  the  carving  will  be  ex- 
tremely difficult. 

Always  provide  a  sharp  knife  for  carving.  The  juices  of 
meat  are  extracted  by  its  being  haggled.  An  invalid,  speaking 
of  the  kindness  of  a  neighbor  in  sending  him  some  slices  of 
corned  beef,  said,  "  They  were  cut  with  a  sharp  knife."  For 
the  sake  of  economy,  if  for  no  other  reason,  carve  smoothly,  and 
only  as  much  as  is  wanted  at  first.  It  is  easy  to  cut  more  for 
replenishing  plates  ;  and  meat  is  far  better  not  to  lie  sliced  in 
the  dish.  If  no  more  is  cut  than  is  used,  a  handsome  piece 


132  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

may  often  be  reserved  for  the  next  day ;  whereas  if  all  is  cut 
up  it  cannot  be  so  good,  and  some  of  it  will  certainly  be  wasted. 

Ham  and  tongue  should  be  sliced  very  thin. 

Pork,  to  be  the  best,  should  not  be  more  than  a  year  old. 
The  chine  is  the  best  roasting  piece ;  the  spare-ribs  are  very 
sweet  food,  but  too  rich  to  be  healthy.  The  shoulder  is  good 
roasted,  stuffed  with  bread  and  sage.  If  too  large,  half  of  it 
can  be  laid  a  week  or  two  in  brine,  and  will  be  good  boiled,  to . 
eat  cold.  It  is  well  for  a  small  family,  in  November  to  buy  half 
of  a  spring  pig ;  this  will  furnish  several  nice  pieces,  to  roast, 
strips  for  salting,  a  ham  and  shoulder  for  smoking,  and  leaf 
enough  for  a  pot  or  two  of  lard,  besides  remnants  for  sausage 
meat. 

In  winter,  all  meat  may  be  kept  a  long  time ;  and,  with  the 
exception  of  pork,  is  much  better  for  it ;  therefore  it  is  easier  to 
furnish  a  table  without  waste  in  winter  than  in  summer.  Meat 
will  keep  in  an  ice-house  or  a  good  refrigerator  several  days  in 
hot  weather ;  if  you  have  neither,  take  your  meat  the  moment 
it  is  brought  in,  wipe  it  dry  if  at  all  damp,  and  hang  it  in  the 
cellar,  sprinkling  first  a  little  pepper  and  salt  over  it,  especially 
over  the  parts  which  flies  are  most  apt  to  visit.  In  mutton  and 
lamb,  these  are  the  tenderloin  and  the  large  end  of  the  leg.  The 
pepper  and  salt  will  also  tend  to  preserve  the  meat  from  taint. 

If  you  wish  to  keep  it  longer  than  two  days,  wrap  it  in  a 
piece  of  cloth  (no  matter  if  it  is  very  thin),  and  lay  it  in  a 
charcoal  bin,  and  throw  a  shovel  of  coal  over  it.  A  leg  of  mut- 
ton will  keep  several  days  wrapped  in  a  cloth  which  has  been 
dipped  in  vinegar,  laid  upon  the  ground  of  a  dry  cellar. 

Meat  that  is  to  be  salted  for  immediate  use,  should,  if  the 
weather  is  cool,  be  hung  up  a  day  or  two  first.*  Where  a  large 
quantity  of  beef  is  to  be  salted,  a  different  method  is  pursued. 
In  winter,  unless  you  wish  to  keep  meat  several  weeks,  place  it 
where  it  will  be  cold  without  freezing.  Mutton  never  looks  as 
nice  after  being  frozen  hard ;  it  has  a  dark,  uninviting  appear- 

*  See  directions  for  salting  meat,  page  190. 


STOCK  FOB  GRAVIES  AND  SOUPS.  133 

ance.  To  thaw  frozen  meat,  bring  it  over  night  into  a  warm 
room.  If  this  has  been  forgotten,  lay  it,  early  in  the  morning, 
into  cold  water.  If  meat  is  put  to  roast,  boil,  or  broil,  before 
being  entirely  thawed,  it  will  be  tough.  It  is  best  to  preserve 
fowls  without  freezing.  They  will  keep  very  well  packed  in 
snow ;  the  liver,  &c.,  being  taken  out  and  laid  by  themselves  in 
the  snow,  and  the  body  filled  with  it. 

Meat  that  has  been  kept  perfectly  clean,  or  a  beef  steak  just 
cut  off,  should  not  be  washed  ;  but,  generally,  it  is  necessary  to 
wash  a  roasting  piece.  Pork  having  the  rind  on,  needs  great 
care  in  washing  and  scraping,  to  make  it  fit  to  cook. 

Trim  off  the  superfluous  fat  from  beef,  mutton,  and  fresh  pork 
before  cooking  it. 

Tough  steak  is  made  more  tender  by  being  pounded  with  A  ' 
rolling-pin ;  but  some  of  the  juice  of  the  meat  is  lost  by  the 
operation. 


STOCK   FOR    GRAVIES   AND    SOUPS. 


a  leg  or  shin  of  beef  very  clean,  crack  the  bone  in  two 
or  three  places,  put  with  it  any  trimmings  you  may  have  of 
meat  or  fowls,  such  as  gizzards,  necks,  &c.  ;  cover  them  with  cold 
water  in  a  stew-pan  that  shuts  close.  The  moment  it  begins  to 
simmer,  skim  it  carefully  till  it  boils  up.  Then  add  half  a  pint 
of  cold  water,  which  will  make  the  remaining  scum  rise,  and 
skim  it  again  and  again,  till  no  more  appears,  and  the  broth 
looks  perfectly  clear.  Then  put  in  a  moderate  sized  carrot, 
cut  up  small,  two  turnips,  a  head  of  celery,  and  one  large  or 
two  small  onions.  Stir  it  several  times  that  it  may  not  burn,  or 
stick  at  the  bottom.  Herbs  and  spices  are  not  to  be  added 
until  the  broth  is  used  for  gravies  for  particular  dishes.  After 
these  vegetables  are  added,  set  the  pan  where  the  broth  will 
boil  very  slowly  for  four  or  five  hours.  Then  strain  it  through 
a  sieve  into  a  stone  pan  or  jar,  and  when  cold,  cover  it,  and  set 


134  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

it  in  an  ice-house  or  some  other  very  cool  place.  The  meat 
thus  stewed  may  be  used  as  directed  for  minced  meat  in  the 
chapter  on  Common  Dishes,  &c.,  p.  222. 


ON    ROASTINQ    MEAT. 

IF  meat  is  to  be  roasted  before  the  fire,  allow  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  for  the  cooking  of  every  pound  in  warm  weather,  and  in 
winter  twenty  minutes.  Flour  it  well,  and  put  two  or  three 
gills  of  water  in  the  roaster.  Put  the  bony  side  to  the  fire  first, 
and  do  not  place  it  very  near.  If  meat  is  scorched  in  the 
beginning,  it  cannot  be  roasted  through  afterwards,  without 
burning.  Turn  it  often,  and  when  all  parts  are  slightly  cooked, 
place  it  nearer  the  fire.  When  about  half  done,  flour  it  again. 
Baste  it  very  often.  Salt  it  half  an  hour  before  serving  it. 

It  is  not  well  to  salt  meat  at  first,  as  salt  extracts  the  juices. 
In  roasting  all  meats,  the  art  depends  chiefly  on  flouring 
thoroughly,  basting  frequently,  and  turning  so  often  as  not  to 
allow  any  part  to  burn. 

To  roast  in  a  cooking  stove,  it  is  necessay  to  attend  carefully 
to  the  fire,  lest  the  meat  should  burn.  Lay  it  into  the  pan  with 
three  or  four  gills  of  water  in  it.  Turn  the  pan  around  often, 
that  all  the  parts  may  roast  equally.  When  it  is  about  half  done, 
flour  it  again,  turn  it  over  that  the  lower  side  may  become 
brown.  If  the  water  wastes  so  that  the  pan  becomes  nearly 
dry,  add  a  little  hot  water. 

Among  the  little  things  which  are  worthy  the  attention  of  a 
housekeeper,  is  that  of  having  a  dinner  served  hot.  It  is  often 
the  case,  that  a  well-cooked  dinner  loses  much  of  its  excellence, 
by  a  want  of  care  in  this  particular.  All  the  meat  and  veg- 
etable dishes  should  be  heated,  and  in  winter  the  plates  should 
also  be  warmed. 


ON  BOILING  MEAT. 


135 


ON   BOILING    MEAT. 

IT  is  a  common  impression  that  boiled  meat  requires  very 
little  attention ;  and  probably  one  reason  why  many  persons  dis- 
like it,  may  be,  that  it  is  seldom  so  carefully  cooked  as  roast 
meat. 

If  proper  attention  can  be  secured,  meat  should  not  be  boiled 
in  a  cloth.  But  if  the  pot  is  not  likely  to  be  thoroughly  skim- 
med, it  is  best  to  use  one.  All  kinds  of  meat  are  best  put  over 
the  fire  in  cold  water,  in  the  proportion  of  a  quart  to  every 
pound  of  meat.  The  fibres  are  thus  gradually  dilated,  and  the 
meat  is  more  tender.  The  fire  should  be  moderate,  and  the 
water  should  heat  gradually.  If  it  boils  in  thirty  or  forty  min- 
utes it  is  soon  enough. 

All  kinds  of  meat,  poultry,  and  fish  should  boil  very  slowly. 
Fast  boiling  makes  meat  tough  and  hard.  Allow  twenty  min- 
utes to  a  pound  of  fresh  meat ;  but  a  little  more  time  is  required 
to  cook  a  hind  than  a*  fore  quarter.  Salt  meat  should  boil 
longer  than  fresh ;  allow  forty  minutes  for  every  pound. 

A  tongue  that  has  been  cured  with  saltpetre  and  smoked, 
should  soak  over  night,  and  be  boiled  at  least  four  hours  ;  it  is 
not  easy  to  boil  it  too  much,  and  nothing  is  more  disagreeable 
or  indigestible  than  a  tongue  not  well  boiled.  A  ham,  if  very 
salt,  should  also  be  soaked  over  night,  and  should  be  boiled  from 
three  to  five  hours,  according  to  the  size,  unless  you  prefer  to 
cook  it  the  last  half  of  the  time  in  the  oven,  as  is  directed  in  the 
receipt  for  cooking  a  ham  or  shoulder.  This  is  the  better  way. 
Calf's  head  should  lie  in  a  great  deal  of  water  several  hours ; 
and  if  large,  will  require  two  hours  and  a  half  to  boil. 

The  two  things  most  important  in  boiling  meat,  are,  to  boil 
it  gently  ;  and  to  skim  it  until  no  more  froth  rises.  To  do  this, 
have  a  skimmer  or  a  spoon  and  dish,  and  the  moment  the  froth 
begins  to  rise,  which  will  be  when  the  water  becomes  very  hot, 


136  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

skim  it  off.  Put  in  a  pint  of  cold  water,  which  will  cause  it  to 
rise  more  freely,  and  continue  to  skim  it  every  minute  or  two, 
till  all  is  taken  off.*  If  the  water  boils  fast  before  you  begin  to 
take  off  the  froth,  it  will  all  return  into  the  water,  and  will 
adhere  to  the  meat,  and  make  it  look  badly.  Some  nice  house- 
keepers throw  a  handful  of  flour  into  the  kettle  to  prevent  scum 
from  adhering  to  meat.  Calf's  head,  and  veal  need  more  skim- 
ming than  any  other  meat ;  but  all  kinds  need  to  be  skimmed 
several  times.  If  the  water  boils  away  so  that  the  meat  is  not 
covered,  add  more,  as  the  part  which  lies  above  the  water  will 
have  a  dark  appearance.  Kemember  to  put  salt  in  the  water 
for  boiling  fresh  meat  or  fish. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    MAKING    GRAVIES    AND    SAUCES 
FOB    MEAT,    POULTBY,    AND    FISH. 

MANY  young  housekeepers  who  succeed  well  in  most  kinds 
of  cooking,  are  a  long  time  in  finding  out  how  to  make  good 
gravy.  To  have  it  free  from  fat  is  the  most  important  thing. 
For  a  small  family  it  is  not  necessary  to  prepare  stock.  The 
water  in  which  fresh  meat,  a  tongue,  or  piece  of  beef  slightly 
salted,  has  been  boiled,  should  be  saved  for  this  purpose,  and 
for  use  in  various  economical  dishes.  In  cold  weather  it  will 
keep  a  good  while,  and  in  warm  weather,  several  days  in  a 
refrigerator. 

The  way  to  use  meat  liquor,  or  the  stock  for  which  a  receipt 
is  given,  is  this :  In  case  you  are  roasting  beef,  mutton,  lamb,  or 
pork,  pour  off  entirely,  into  a  dish,  half  an  hour  before  the  din- 
ner hour,  all  the  contents  of  the  dripping  pan  or  roaster,  and 
set  it  away  in  a  cold  place ;  then  put  into  the  roaster  two  or 
three  gills  of  the  meat  liquor  or  stock  ;  if  you  have  cold  gravy, 
or  drippings  of  a  previous  day,  remove  all  the  fat  from  the  top, 
and  put  the  liquid  that  remains  at  the  bottom  into  the  pan. 

*  Froth  from  fat  meat  should  be  put  into  the  soap-grease. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   MAKING   GRAVIES.  137 

Wet  some  browned  flour  smooth,  and  when  you  take  up  the 
meat,  set  the  pan  on  the  top  of  the  stove.  The  gravy  will  im- 
mediately boil,  and  the  wet  flour  must  then  be  stirred  in.  It  will 
boil  away  fast,  therefore  see  that  it  does  not  stand  too  long. 

For  veal  and  venison,  gravy  is  made  differently  because  there 
is  but  little  fat  on  these  meats,  and  what  there  is,  is  not  gross. 
Put  into  the  roaster,  or  dripping  pan,  some  of  the  meat  liquor 
or  stock,  when  you  first  put  the  meat  to  roast,  and  if  it  is  done 
in  a  stove  or  range,  add  a  little  more  in  case  it  boils  away. 
When  it  is  done,  set  the  dripping  pan  on  the  stove,  and  having 
stirred  in  the  wet  flour,  add  a  piece  of  butter  half  the  size  of  an 
egg,  and  stir  until  it  is  all  melted,  else  it  will  make  the  gravy 
oily. 

Gravy  for  poultry  is  made  by  boiling  the  giblets  (necks,  giz- 
zards, hearts,  and  livers)  by  themselves  in  five  or  six  gills  of 
water.  Skim  them  carefully,  as  a  great  deal  of  scum  will  rise. 
After  an  hour,  or  hour  and  a  half,  take  them  out,  and  pour  the 
water  into  the  dripping-pan.  Mash,  or  chop  the  liver  fine,  and 
when  you  make  the  gravy,  add  this,  and  a  bit  of  butter,  some 
pepper,  the  wet  flour,  and,  if  you  choose,  a  little  sweet  mar- 
joram. 

The  fat  that  roasts  out  of  a  turkey  should  be  dipped  off  with 
a  spoon  before  these  ingredients  are  added.  It  is  too  gross  to 
be  palatable  or  healthy. 

In  making  gravy  for  a  goose,  pour  off  all  the  drippings  as  in 
roasting  beef  or  pork,  and  put  in  some  of  the  stock  or  meat 
liquor. 

It  is  best  to  brown  a  quart  of  flour  at  once.  Put  it  into 
a  spider,  and  set  it  in  the  stove  oven,  or  on  the  top ;  stir  it  often 
lest  it  should  burn.  When  it  is  a  light  brown,  put  it  into  a  jar 
or  wide-mouthed  bottle. 

Drawn  Butter. 

Take  a  small  cupful  of  butter,  and  rub  into  it  half  a  table~ 
spoonful  of  flour,  then  pour  upon  it  about  a  gill  of  boiling 
water,  stirring  it  fast.  Set  it  upon  the  coals,  and  let  it  boil  up 


138  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

once.  If  it  is  suffered  to  remain  boiling  it  will  become  oily. 
Some  persons  prefer  to  use  boiling  milk  instead  of  water.  Pars- 
ley is  an  improvement.  Tie  a  few  sprigs  together  with  a  thread 
and  throw  them  for  a  minute  into  boiling  water,  then  cut  them 
fine,  and  add  them  to  the  butter.  Parsley  is  a  nice  addition 
to  all  the  sauces  for  boiled  poultry  or  fish ;  and  sprigs  of  it 
make  a  pretty  garnish  for  such  dishes. 

Egg  8a.UCe  (to  serve  with,  boiled  fish). 

Make  drawn  butter  as  above  directed,  and,  when  you  take 
it  up,  pour  it  over  two  eggs  boiled  hard  and  cut  fine  in  a  sauce- 
boat.  Dip  a  little  of  it  over  the  fish. 

Lemon  Sauce  (for  boiled  chickens). 

Make  drawn  butter,  as  above,  but  omitting  the  milk,  and 
adding  a  few  slices  of  lemon  cut  in  small  bits.  Boil  up  once, 
then  pour  over  the  fowls,  or  serve  in  a  sauce-boat. 

Caper  Sauce  (for  boiled  mutton  or  lamb). 

Boil  half  a  pint  of  milk,  and  stir  in  a  teaspoonful  of  corn- 
starch  or  flour  rubbed  smooth  in  cold  milk,  and  a  teaspoonful 
of  butter.  Last  of  all  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  capers,  and 
let  it  boil  up. 

Mushroom  Sauce. 

Make  drawn  butter  as  has  been  directed,  and,  instead  of 
the  milk,  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  mushroom  catsup. 

English  Onion  Sauce  (to  serve  with  roast  mutton,  rabbit,  partridges, 
or  poultry). 

Boil  three  or  four  onions  in  a  plenty  of  water  until  soft. 
Skim  them  from  the  water,  and  cut  up  fine.  Boil  half  a  pint 
of  milk,  and  stir  in  a  teaspoonful  of  flour  or  corn-starch  rubbed 
in  cold  milk,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  also  a  little  pepper 

X 


OYSTER-SAUCE,    CELERY-SAUCE,   ETC.  139 

and  salt.  Then  add  the   onions,  'and  boil  for  two  or  three 

minutes.  Be  careful  it  does  not  burn. 

If  you  use  cream  instead  of  milk,  omit  the  butter  and 
flour. 

Oyster  Sauce  (for  boiled  poultry). 

Cut  small  a  pint  of  oysters.  Boil  two  cups  of  milk,  and 
add  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rubbed  into  a  teaspoonful  of 
flour.  Then  put  in  the  oysters,  some  salt  and  pepper,  and 
boil  but  two  or  three  minutes. 

Another. 

Boil  for  a  few  minutes  with  two  or  three  blades  of  mace, 
the  liquor  of  a  quart  of  oysters.  Add  a  little  water,  if  there 
is  not  much  of  the  liquor,  and,  when  it  has  boiled  about  five- 
minutes,  pour  in  a  cup  of  milk.  As  it  again  boils  up,  stir  in 
a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rubbed  into  half  a  spoonful  of  flour, 
add  salt  and  pepper,  and  the  oysters.  After  boiling  two  or 
three  minutes,  it  is  ready  to  serve. 

Celery  Sauce  (to  serve  with  boiled  turkey). 

Put  a  pint  of  milk  to  boil  in  a  tin  pail  set  in  a  kettle  of 
boiling  water.  Cut  fine  six  stalks  of  celery,  and  add  to  the 
milk,  with  a  little  salt.  When  the  celery  is  soft,  which  will 
be  in  about  an  hour,  stir  in  a  spoonful  of  butter  rubbed  into 
half  a  spoonful  of  flour.  If  the  sauce  seems  too  thick,  add 
enough  milk  to  make  it  of  the  consistency  of  good  cream. 
Let  it  remain  a  few  moments,  stirring  constantly,  and  then 

serve. 

/ 

Mint  Sauce  (for  roast  lamb,  and  other  meats). 

Mix  three  tablespoonfuls  of  fresh  mint,  cut  very  fine,  with 
one  of  nice  brown  sugar.  Put  it  in  a  sauce-boat,  and  pour 
on  it  a  teacup  of  vinegar.  When  the  sauce  has  stood  ten 
minutes,  it  will  be  ready  for  the  table. 


140  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Anchovy  Sauce. 

Pound  three  anchovies,  and  rub  through  a  sieve.  Stir 
them  into  half  a  pint  of  drawn  butter.  Add,  also,  lemon- 
juice,  and  a  pinch  of  Cayenne  pepper,  if  you  choose. 

Currant-Jelly  Sauce  (for  roast  mutton,  venison,  or  rabbit). 

Put  into  a  saucepan  half  a  cup  of  boiling  water,  and  melt 
in  it  a  tumbler  of  currant-jelly. 


STUFFINQ    OR    DRESSINGS    OF   VARIOUS 
KINDS. 

FOR  a  fillet  of  veal,  a  turkey,  chickens,  partridges,  and 
pigeons,  take  light  bread  enough  to  make  three  gills  of  fine 
crumbs.  Cut  off  the  crust  and  lay  by  itself  in  just  enough  boil- 
ing water  to  soften  it.  Rub  the  soft  part  into  fine  crumbs  be- 
tween your  hands ;  put  in  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  one  or  two  of 
powdered  sweet  marjoram,  a  little  pepper,  and  a  piece  of  butter 
half  -as  large  as  an  egg ;  add  the  softened  crusts,  and  mix  the 
whole  together  very  thoroughly.  If  it  is  not  moi.st  enough,  add 
a  spoonful  or  two  of  milk.  Taste  it,  and  if  there  is  not  season- 
ing enough,  add  more. 

To  put  it  into  the  fowl  neatly,  and  without  waste,  use  a  tea- 
spoon. 

If  stuffing  is  made  of  pounded  crackers,  the  seasoning  is  the 
same,  but  crackers  swell  so  much  that  two  gills  will  be  plenty 
for  a  turkey.  Milk  will  be  necessary  to  mix  it,  and  also  a 
beaten  egg  to  make  it  cohere.  Some  people  prefer  dressing 
made  of  crackers,  but  it  is  hard  and  not  as  healthy  as  that  which 
is  made  of  good  bread,  without  an  egg. 

Stuffing  for  ducks  is  usually  made  with  a  little  finely  chop- 
ped onion  in  it.  For  a  goose,  sage  should  be  used  instead  of 
sweet-marjoram. 

For  a  pig,  or  a  shoulder  of  fresh  pork,  make  a  dressing  with- 
out butter,  moistened  with  milk,  and  seasoned  with  pepper, 


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DIRECTIONS  FOR  COOKING  MEATS.  141 

salt,  and  a  good  deal  of  powdered  sage.     This  tends  to  prevent 
the  deleterious  effects  of  such  rich  meat  upon  the  stomach. 

For  a  dressing  for  alamode  beef,  and  stewed  lamb,  salt  pork, 
chopped  fine,  is  substituted  for  butter,  and  for  a  fillet  of  veal  it 
is  very  well  to  make  it  in  the  same  way. 


VEGETABLES  AND  SAUCES  APPROPRIATE 
TO    DIFFERENT    MEATS. 

POTATOES  are  good  with  all  meats.  With  poultry  they  are 
nicest  mashed.  Sweet  potatoes  are  most  appropriate  with  roast 
meat,  as  also  are  onions,  winter  squash,  cucumbers,  and  aspara- 
gus. 

Carrots,  parsnips,  turnips,  greens,  and  cabbage  are  eaten  with 
boiled  meat ;  and  corn,  beets,  peas,  and  beans  are  appropriate 
to  either  boiled  or  roasted  meat.  Mashed  turnip  is  good  with 
roasted  pork,  and  with  boiled  meats. 

Tomatoes  are  good  with  every  kind  of  meat,  but  specially  so 
with  roasts.  Apple-sauce  with  roast  pork;  cranberry-sauce 
with  beef,  fowls,  veal,  and  ham.  Currant  jelly  is  most  appro:- 
priate  with  roast  mutton.  Pickles  are  good  with  all  roast 
meats,  and  capers  or  nasturtiums  with  boiled  lamb  or  mutton. 
Horseradish  and  lemons  are  excellent  with  veal. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR    COOKING    MEATS. 

To  Roast  Beef. 

SEE  the  directions  for  roasting  meat. 

Beef  Steak. 

The  best  slices  are  cut  from  the  rump,  or  through  the  sirloin. 


142'  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

The  found  is  seldom  tender  enough,  and  is  very  good  cooked  in 
other  ways.  Do  not  cut  your  slices  very  thick.  Have  the  grid- 
iron perfectly  clean.  Set  it  over  moderately  hot  coals  at  first, 
and  turn  the  steaks  in  less  than  a  minute.  Turn  them  repeat- 
edly. If  the  fat  makes  a  blaze  under  the  gridiron,  put  it  out 
by  sprinkling  fine  salt  on  it.  Steaks  will  broil  in  about  seven 
minutes.  Have  ready  a  hot  dish,  and  sprinkle  each  piece  with 
salt,  and  a  little  pepper;  lay  on  small  pieces  of  butter,  and 
cover  close.  This  is  a  much  better  way  than  to  melt  the  butter 
in  the  dish  before  taking  up  the  meat.  Some  persons  keep  a 
small  pair  of  tongs  on  purpose  to  turn  beef-steaks,  as  using  a 
fork  wastes  the  juice.  Steaks  should  be  served  hot  as  possible. 

Stuffed  Beef  Steak. 

Take  a  thick  and  tender  slice  of  rump,  of  about  two  pounds 
weight ;  make  two  gills  of  stuffing,  of  crumbs  of  bread,  pepper, 
salt,  and  powdered  clove,  or  sweet  marjoram,  as  you  choose  ; 
roll  the  dressing  up  in  the  steak,  wind  a  piece  of  twine  around 
it,  taking  care  to  secure  the  ends.  Have  ready  a  kettle  or  deep 
stew-pan,  with  a  slice  or  two  of  pork  fried  crisp.  Take  out  the 
pork  and  lay  in  the  steak,  and  turn  it  on  every  side,  until  it  is 
brown.  Then  put  in  two  gills  of  the  stock,  or  of  water  in 
which  meat  has  been  boiled ;  sprinkle  in  a  little  salt,  cover 
close,  and  stew  slowly  an  hour  and  a  half.  Add  more  water 
after  a  while,  if  it  becomes  too  dry.  Some  persons  like  the 
addition  of  chopped  onion.  There  should,  however,  be  very 
little ;  half  of  a  small  one  is  enough.  When  nearly  done,  add 
half  a  gill  of  catsup.  When  you  take  up  the  meat,  unwind  the 
string  carefully,  so  as  not  to  unroll  it.  Lay  it  in  a  fricassee  dish, 
thicken  the  gravy,  if  not  thick  enough"  already,  and  pour  it  over 
the  meat.  Cut  the  meat  in  slices  through  the  roll. 


o 


Tomato  Steak. 

Take  two  pounds  of  beef;  cut  it  in  small  strips,  and  put  it 
into  a  porcelain  kettle  with  seven  medium  tomatoes.  Stew  it 
slowly.  Add  a  dessert-spoonful  of  sugar,  salt,  a  little  clove,  and, 


A   LA   MODE   BEEF.  143 

just  before  you  take  it  up,  a  dessert  spoonful  of  butter.  If  you 
have  tomato  catsup,  add  a  little,  and  if  you  like  chopped  onion, 
that  also.  Very  tender  beef  is,  of  course,  to  be  preferred  ;  but 
that  which  is  tough  becomes  more  palatable  in  this  than  in  al- 
most any  other  way.  This  dish  is  quite  as  good,  if  not  better, 
heated  over  the  next  day. 

Beef  a  la  Mode  (in  a  plain  way). 

Take  a  thick  piece  of  flank,  or,,  if  most  convenient,  the  thick- 
est part  of  the  round,  weighing  six  or  eight  pounds,  for  a  small 
family  of  four  or  five  persons.  Cut  off  the  strips  of  coarse  fat 
upon  the  edge,  make  incisions  in  all  parts,  and  fill  them  with  a 
stuffing  made  of  bread,  salt  pork  chopped,  pepper,  and  sweet 
marjoram.  Push  whole  cloves  here  and  there  into  the  meat ; 
roll  it  up,  fasten  it  with  skewers,  and  wind  a  strong  twine  or 
tape  about  it.  Have  ready  a  pot  in  which  you  have  fried  to  a 
crisp  three  or  four  slices  of  salt  pork ;  take  out  the  pork,  lay  in 
the  beef,  and  brown  every  side.  When  well  browned,  add 
hardly  water  enough  to  cover  it,  chop  a  large  onion  fine,  add 
eighteen  or  twenty  cloves,  and  boil  it  gently,  but  steadily,  three 
or  four  hours,  according  to  the  size.  The  water  should  boil 
away  so  as  to  make  a  rich  gravy,  but  be  careful  it  does  not 
burn.  When  you  take  up  the  beef,  add  browned  flour  to  the 
gravy,  if  it  needs  to  be  thickened. 

Another  (more  rich). 

Take  seven  or  eight  pounds  of  the  upper  part  of  the  round, 
cut  off  the  coarse  fat  upon  the  side,  and  make  deep  incisions  in 
every  part.  To  a  pint  bowl  of  bread  crumbs,  put  pepper,  pow- 
dered clove,  a  small  nutmeg,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  some  whole 
allspice,  a  large  spoonful  of  butter,  and,  if  you  choose,  a  very 
little  chopped  salt  pork,  and  two  beaten  eggs.  Mix  these  ingre- 
dients well  together,  and  fill  the  incisions,  but  reserve  a  part  of 
the  stuffing.  Put  in  two  or  three  skewers  horizontally,  near 
the  edges,  and  tie  twine  across  to  keep  in  the  stuffing.  Push 
whole  cloves  into  the  meat  here  and  there.  Lay  it,  when  thus 


144  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

prepared,  into  a  bake-pan  or  stew-pan,  having  a  lid  which  may 
be  heated  ;  put  in  water  enough  just  to  cover  it,  and  set  it  where 
it  will  simmer,  but  not  quite  boil.  Have  the  lid  heated,  and  a 
few  embers  laid  over  it.  After  two  hours,  pour  upon  the  top 
the  stuffing  which  you  reserved,  heat  the  lid  again,  and  cover 
the  meat.  Let  it  stew  two  hours  more.  If  the  gravy  is  too 
thin,  add  browned  flour  and  boil  it  up  again.  Some  persons 
use  red  wine,  but  it  is  very  good  without.  Half  the  quantity  of 
meat  and  stuffing  for  a  small  family. 

Beef  Bouille'. 

Put  three  or  four  pounds  of  brisket  into  a  kettle,  and  cover 
it  with  water.  Take  off  the  scum  as  it  rises.  Let  it  boil  stead- 
ily two  hours.  Then  take  it  from  the  pot  and  brown  it  with 
butter  in  a  spider.  When  it  is  browned  on  every  side,  return  it 
to  the  kettle,  and  stew  it  gently  five  hours  more.  Add  more 
water  if  it  boils  away.  Put  in  a  carrot  and  a  turnip  or  two,  cut 
small,  an  onion  also  ;  a  few  cloves,  and  salt  and  pepper  as  you 
think  necessary.  Half  an  hour  before  dinner  add  tomato  or 
mushroom  catsup.  To  serve  it,  lay  the  beef  upon  a  dish,  and 
strew  capers  over  it.  The  water  in  which  it  was  stewed  is  a 
nice  soup.  Same  weight  rump-beef  will  cook  in  half  the  time. 

Stewed  Beef  (plain). 

Take  a  square  piece  of  beef  from  the  best  part  of  the  round 
weighing  four  or  nve  pounds,  and  put  it  into  water  enough  to 
cover  it.     When  the  water  has  been  well  skimmed,  put  in  salt, 
two  turnips,  two  carrots,  and  two  onions,  chopped  small,  and,  if 
you  choose,  add  half  a  dozen  cloves.     Boil  very  gently  four  or 
five  hours.     A  short  time  before  dinner,  add  a  teaspoonful  of 
sweet  marjoram,  hah0  a  cup  of  tomato  ketchup,  and  a  table- 
spoonful  of  flour  wet  smooth  hi  cold  water.      Serve  in  a  deen 
platter.     This   is  a  very  economical  dish.     The  beef  is  very 
good  cold,  and  the  soup  excellent.     Yellow  turnips  are  best. 
If  they  are  large,  use  one  or  half  of  one.     Instead  of  vegeta- 
bles, you  can  add  spice  to  the  boiled  meat,  then  press  it,  and 
slice  when  cold. 


CORNED  BEEF,  ROAST  MUTTON,  ETC.          145 

To  Boil  Corned  Beef. 

Wash  it  thoroughly,  and  put  it  into  a  pot  that  will  hold 
plenty  of  water.  The  water  should  be  cold ;  the  same  care  is 
necessary  in  skimming  it  as  for  fresh  meat.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  allow  forty  minutes  for  every  pound,  after  it  has  begun  to 
boil.  The  goodness  of  corned  beef  depends  much  on  its  being 
boiled  gently  and  long.  If  it  is  to  be  eaten  cold,  lay  it  into  a 
coarse  earthen  dish  or  pan,  and  over  it  a  piece  of  board  the 
size  of  the  meat.  Upon  this  put  a  clean  stone  or  some  other 
heavy  weight.  Salt  meat  is  very  much  improved  by  being 
pressed. 

To  Roast  Mutton. 

Any  part  may  be  roasted,  but  the  leg  is  the  best.  Allow 
twenty  minutes  for  a  pound,  and  do  according  to  the  direc- 
tions for  roasting  meat.  Remember  .to  flour  it  well,  and  baste 
often. 

To  Boil  a  Leg  of  Mutton  or  Lamb. 

Cut  off  the  shank  bone.  Have  water  enough  to  cover  the 
meat.  If  the  pot  is  well  skimmed,  the  water  will  make  excel- 
lent broth  for  another  day. 

A  leg  of  lamb  is  a  very  nice  dish  if  boiled  well.  It  requires 
a  little  more  time  in  proportion  to  the  size  than  mutton,  as 
mutton  is  good  done  rare,  while  lamb  is  neither  good  or  healthy, 
unless  well  done. 

Most  people  like  capers,  and  drawn  butter  with  mutton  and 
lamb,  and  cut  parsley  added  is  an  improvement. 

Mutton  or  Lamb  Chops. 

Have  the  leg  cut  into  steaks  at  the  market,  or  by  the  butcher. 
If  this  has  not  been  done,  you  can  do  it  yourself  with  a  sharp 
knife.  Cut  through  the  largest  part  first ;  have  the  slices  about 
the  thickness  of  your  finger ;  separate  them  from  the  bone 
neatly.  Broil  exactly  like  beef  steak.  The  bone  and  frag- 
ments which  are  left  will  make  a  good  broth. 


146  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

To  Fry  Mutton  Chops. 

Put  two  small  slices  of  pork  into  the  spider  with  them. 
When  they  are  cooked,  lay  them  into  a  hot  dish,  pour  a  cupful 
of  stock  or  hot  water  into  the  spider,  and  as  it  boils,  stir  in 
half  a  spoonful  of  browned  flour  wet  in  cold  water.  Boil  up 
again,  and  pour  over  the  steaks. 

Another  Way. 

Dip  them  in  a  beaten  egg ;  strew  over  them  crumbs  of 
cracker  or  bread ;  sprinkle  them  with  salt  and  cut  parsley, 
and  fry  them  in  a  little  butter,  salt  pork,  or  lard.  When  the 
chops  are  done,  lay  them  in  a  hot  dish,  pour  a  teacupful 
of  hot  water  into  the  frying-pan,  dredge  in  some  flour, 
and,  as  it  boils  up,  stir  thoroughly ;  then  pour  it  over  the 
chops. 

Mutton  Steaks  with  Tomato. 

Take  steaks  cut  from  the  leg,  dip  in  egg  and  crumbs,  and 
fry  as  directed.  Have  ready  tomato-sauce,  and  pour  over  be- 
fore sending  to  the  table. 

Or  place  baked  tomatoes  in  the  centre  of  a  platter,  and 
arrange  the  steaks,  or  chops,  fried,  around  them. 

Beefsteak  Smothered  with  Onions. 

Stew  five  or  six  onions,  cut  small,  in  a  pint  of  water,  till 
soft.  Then  sprinkle  in  a  little  flour,  salt,  and  pepper,  and 
add  a  spoonful  of  butter.  Broil  steaks  as  directed,  lay  them 
in  a  saucepan  with  the  stewed  onions,  cover  closely,  and  sim- 
mer a  few  minutes. 

Another  way  is  to  stew  the  onions,  cut  fine,  in  a  pint  of 
water.  When  very  soft,  add  flour,  salt,  pepper,  and  butter,  as 
above.  Let  it  boil  a  minute,  then  turn  it  over  the  broiled 
steaks,  and  serve  at  once. 

Haricot  of  Mutton  or  Lamb. 

Take  a  leg  of  lamb,  or  a  small  leg^of  mutton ;  trim  oif  the 
fat  very  clean ;  put  it  into  a  kettle  or  saucepan  with  just 


iU^'C 


BOILED    TOXGUE,    TONGUE    BOUILLE.  147 

enough  water  to  cover  it ;  add  salt.  When  the  water  is  well 
skimmed,  add  one  each,  of  onions,  carrots,  and  turnips,  cut  or 
chopped  small.  Cover  closely,  and  simmer  gently  four  hours. 
When  nearly  done,  skim  off  all  the  fat ;  let  the  water  waste 
away,  leaving  enough  for  a  gravy,  and  add  half  a  cup  of  to- 
mato ketchup.  Have  ready  a  spoonful  of  browned  flour 
rubbed  smooth ;  lay  the  leg  into  a  deep  platter ;  stir  the  flour 
into  the  gravy,  and,  when  boiled  up  once,  pour  over  the  mut- 
ton. It  takes  more  of  browned  flour  to  thicken  gravy  than 
that  not  browned. 

To  boil  a  Tongue, 

A  corned  tongue  may  be  put  to  boil  as  soon  as  washed ;  but 
one  that  has  been  long  salted  should  be  soaked  over  night. 

A  smoked  tongue  should  be  well  washed,  then  soaked  in 
a  plenty  of  water  over  night.  All  tongues  should  be  boiled 
until  so  tender  that  a  fork  will  go  in  very  easily.  This  will  re- 
quire several  hours,  —  from  three  to  five,  according  to  the  size. 
When  they  begin  to  boil,  the  water  should  be  carefully 
skimmed.  When  you  take  up  the  tongue,  while  it  is  yet  hot, 
remove  the  skin,  which  will  easily  pull  off  with  the  aid  of  a 
sharp  knife.  When  it  is  cold,  before  sending  to  the  table, 
trim  off  the  roots.  . 

The  fat  on  the  water  in  which  a  corned  tongue  is  boiled  is 
nice  for  shortening ;  that  from  smoked  tongue  must  be  put 
into  the  soap-grease. 

Tongue  Bouille. 

Carefully  wash  a  fresh  tongue,  and  boil  it  until  the  skin 
comes  off  .easily.  Strain  the  water  in  which  it  was  boiled, 
wash  the  pot  clean,  lay  in  the  tongue  with  enough  of  the 
liquor  to  cover  it.  Cut  up  fine  one  turnip,  one  carrot,  and 
one  onion,  and  pu-t  into  the  kettle,  with  a  little  salt. 

Tie  up  in  a  muslin  bag  a  tablespoonful  each  of  ground 
clove  and  pepper,  and  put  into  the  kettle.  Boil  gently  two 
hours  and  a  half  more.  Fifteen  minutes  before  it  is  taken  up, 
toast  two  slices  of  white  bread  without  the  crust;  cut  into 
small  bits,  and  put  into  the  pot.  When  you  dish  the  tongue, 
put  about  a  pint  of  the  liquor  and  vegetables  round  it. 


148  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Roast  Lainb. 

If  it  is  a  hind  quarter,  and  very  fat,  take  off  the  thickest  from 
the  kidneys ;  place  it  on  the  spit,  or  in  the  dripping-pan  as  it 
should  lie  on  the  dish,  slightly  drawn  up.  Do  exactly  as  in 
roasting  beef.  Two  hours  will  suffice  to  roast  a  quarter 
weighing  five  or  six  pounds.  Flour  it  well. 

The  breast  of  lamb  is  very  sweet  and  requires  about  as  much 
roasting  as  the  hind  quarter. 

Lamb  a  la  Mode. 

Pick  off  all  the  fat  from  a  nice  leg  of  lamb,  or  small  leg  of 
mutton.  Cut  off  the  shank,  make  deep  incisions  in  various 
parts  of  the  inside ;  fill  them  with  stuffing  made  of  crumbs  of 
bread,  salt  pork,  sweet  marjoram,  and  pepper ;  stuff  it  very  full. 
Fry  two  or  three  slices  of  pork  crisp  in  the  pot,  then  take  them 
out,  and  lay  in  the  leg ;  brown  it  on  every  side,  then  put  hardly 
water  enough  into  the  pot  to  cover  it.  Throw  in  a  dozen  or 
two  of  cloves,  half  an  onion  sliced  or  chopped  very  fine,  and  a 
little  salt.  A  half  a  teacup  of  catsup  or  a  few  tomatoes  added 
half  an  hour  before  it  is  served,  improve  it  very  much.  Let  it 
simmer,  steadily,  three  hours. 

When  you  take  up  the  leg,  thicken  the  gravy,  if  it  is  not 
thick  enough.  Put  a  few  spoonfuls  over  ftie  meat,  and  the  rest 
in  a  gravy  tureen. 

To  Roast  a  Fillet  of  Veal. 

Veal  requires  more  time  than  any  other  meat  except  pork. 
It  is  scarcely  ever  done  too  much.  A  leg  weighing  eight  or 
nine  pounds  should  roast  three  hours.  If  your  family  is  large, 
so  that  most  of  it  will  be  eaten  the  first  day,  it  is  best  to  take 
out  the  bone,  which  is  easily  done  with  a  sharp  knife,  the 
knuckle  having  been  cut  off  by  the  butcher.  Put  this  bone 
aside  with  the  knuckle  for  a  broth.  If  you  design  to  use  what 
is  left  cold  for  dinner  the  next  day,  let  the  bone  remain  in,  as 
it  keeps  the  leg  in  better  shape.  Prepare  a  stuffing  of  bread, 
pepper,  salt  pork,  and  sweet  marjoram  ;  make  deep  incisions  in 


LOIN   OF    VEAL,  VEAL   POT-PIE.  149 

the  meat  and  fill  them  with  it.  Fasten  the  fold  of  fat  which  is 
usually  upon  the  fillet  over  the  stuffed  incisions  with  a  skewer. 
Roast  it  slowly  at  first.  Put  into  the  dripping-pan  some  hot 
water  with  a  little  salt  in  it,  or  some  of  the  stock.  When  the 
meat  has  roasted  about  an  hour,  flour  it  thickly,  and  skewer 
upon  it  four  or  five  slices  of  salt  pork.  After  the  flour  has 
become  brown,  baste  the  veal  every  fifteen  minutes.  If  it  is 
very  good  veal,  the  pork  will  flavor  it  without  the  addition  of 
any  butter  ;  but  if  not,  or  if  you  wish  it  to  be  particularly  nice, 
add  a  small  piece  of  butter  to  the  gravy  in  the  roaster,  before 
you  begin  to  baste  the  meat.  In  cutting  the  incisions,  endeavor 
to  make  them  wider  inside  than  at  the  surface,  so  that  the 
stuffing  may  not  fall  out.  See  the  directions  (page  123)  for  mak- 
ing the  gravy. 

A  Loin  of  Veal. 

A  breast  or  a  loin  of  veal  should  be  basted  a  great  many 
times  and  roasted  thoroughly.  It  is  an  improvement  to  put  on 
slices  of  pork  as  in  cooking  the  leg.  Allow  two  hours  for  roast- 
ing ;  more,  if  it  is  large.  Flour  it  well. 

Veal  Pot  Pie. 

Take  the  neck,  the  shank,  and  almost  any  pieces  you  have. 
Boil  them  long  enough  to  skim  off  all  the  froth.  Make  a  paste 
and  roll  it  about  half  an  inch  thick.  Butter  the  pot  and  lay  in 
the  crust,  cutting  out  a  piece  on  each  side  of  the  circle  in  such 
a  way  as  to  prevent  its  having  thick  folds.  Put  in  a  layer  of 
meat,  then  flour,  salt  and  pepper  it,  and  add  a  little  butter  or  a 
slice  or  two  of  salt  pork,  as  you  choose.  Do  this  until  you  have 
laid  in  all  your  meat ;  pour  in  enough  of  the  water  in  which 
the  veal  was  boiled  to  half  fill  the  kettle,  then  lay  on  the  top- 
crust  and  make  an  incision  in  it  to  allow  the  escape  of  the 
steam.  Watch  that  it  does,  not  burn,  and  pour  in  more  of  the 
water  through  the  hole  in  Jie  crust  if  necessary.  Boil  an  hour 
and  a  half.  The  objection  to  this  dish  is,  that  boiled  crust  is 
apt  to  be  heavy,  and  therefore  unhealthy  ;  but  if  it  is  made  after 


150  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

the  receipt  for  cream  tartar  biscuit,  or  of  potato  crust,  it  will  be 

light. 

Baked  Veal  Pie. 

This  is  made  in  the  same  way  as  the  boiled.  The  dish  should 
be  very  deep,  and  when  you  are  ready  to  lay  on  the  upper 
crust,  wet  the  edge  of  the  under  crust  all  around  and  flour  it: 
then  lay  on  the  upper  crust  and  press  your  hand  upon  the  edge, 
so  that  the  flour  and  water  will  make  it  adhere,  and  thus  pre 
vent  the  gravy  from  escaping.  Prick  the  top  several  times 
with  a  large  fork.  If  you  have  pieces  of  crust  left,  cut  them 
into  leaves  and  ornament  the  pie.  Bake  it  an  hour  and  a 
half. 

Stewed  Breast  of  Veal. 

Cut  it  into  handsome  pieces  and  fry.  it  brown,  either  in  drip- 
pings, or  the  fat  fried  out  of  salt  pork.  Brown  all  parts 
thoroughly  ;  then  pour  in  hot  water  enough  barely  to  cover  it. 
Add  lemon  peel  cut  fine  and  sweet  marjoram  Cover  it  close 
as  possible,  and  stew  it  gently  two  hours ;  then  pour  off  the 
liquor  into  a  sauce-pan,  and  thicken  it  with  browned  flour. 
Take  up  the  veal  into  a  hot  fricassee  dish,  and  pour  the  gravy 
over  it. 

Always  allow  half  an  hour  for  frying  veal  brown.  No  other 
meat  requires  as  much  time. 

Veal  Cutlets. 

Take  slices  from  the  broad  end  of  the  leg.  Fry  three  or  four 
slices  of  salt  pork  crisp,  then  take  them  out,  lay  in  the  veal  half 
an  hour  at  least  before  dinner  time.  When  it  has  become 
brown,  take  it  out  and  dip  the  slices,  one  by  one,  into  a  plate  of 
fine  bread  crumbs,  then  fry  them  a  few  minutes  longer.  When 
done  through,  take  them  up  on  a  hot  dish,  pour  hot  water  into 
the  spider  or  frying  pan,  and  instantly  when  it  boils  up  dredge 
in  a  little  flour ;  pour  it  over  the  meat.  Lay  the  slices  of  pork 
around  the  edge  of  the  dish. 


BROILED  VEAL,  CALF'S  HEAD,  RAGOUT  OF  VEAL.    151 

The  best  veal  is  to  be  had  at  the  time  when  winter  vegetables 
are  not  very  good,  and  fresh  ones  have  not  come  into  market. 
Horseradish,  spring  cranberries,  or  fresh  lemons  are  therefore 
the  more  acceptable  with  it. 

Broiled  Veal. 

It  must  not  be  done  too  fast,  and  will  take  longer  than  beef. 
It  is  a  great  improvement  to  broil  pork  and  lay  between  the 
slices  of  veal.  Lay  them  upon  the  meat  while  it  is  broiling, 
and  if  they  are  not  brown  when  the  veal  is  done,  put  them  a 
few  minutes  longer  on  the  gridiron.  If  pork  is  not  used,  season 
with  butter.  In  either  case,  add  pepper  and  salt. 

Calf's  Head  (with  Brain  Sauce). 

Let  the  head,  liver,  and  lights  soak  in  cold  water  an  hour 
or  two.  Wash  them  clean.  Take  out  the  brains.  Boil  the 
head,  &c.,  in  four  or  five  quarts  of  water,  three  hours,  till 
very  tender.  Throw  some  salt  into  the  water,  skim  very  thor- 
oughly. Boil  the  brains  twenty  minutes,  tied  up  in  a  piece 
of  muslin.  Tie  up  a  few  sprigs  of  parsley  with  a  thread, 
and  hold  them  in  boiling  water  a  minute.  Have  ready  two 
eggs  boiled  hard.  Chop  the  brains,  cut  the  parsley  fine,  cut 
up  the  eggs,  then  rub  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  into  one  of 
butter;  put  the  eggs,  the  brains,  and  the  parsley  into  it  in  a 
saucepan ;  pour  on  about  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  ;  stir  all  to- 
gether, let  it  boil  up  once,  and  serve.  Calf's  head  is  good 
hashed.  To  make  it  into  a  soup,  see  mock  turtle. 

Ragout  of  Veal. 

Take  the  bones  from  a  breast  of  veal,  and  lay  it  in  a  stew- 
pan,  and  the  bones  with  it ;  boil  gently  an  hour  and  a  half  in 
barely  enough  water  to  cover  it.  Skim  it  well ;  add  salt  and 
pepper.  Make  force-meat  balls  of  cold  veal,  bread-crumbs, 
sweet  marjoram,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  an  egg.  Take 
out  the  bones.  Turn  the  meat  over,  and  baste  it  with  butter ; 
flour  it  thickly ;  lay  the  force-meat  balls  upon  it,  pour  a  small 


152  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

half  cup  of  ketchup  into  the  pan ;  set  it  into  the  oven  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  to  brown.  Lay  the  meat  into  a  deep  plat- 
ter, and  pour  the  gravy  over  it. 

Ragout  of  Cold  Veal. 

Cut  handsome  slices  from  any  part  of  cold  veal,  flour  them 
well.  Have  the  spider  hot,  with  a  spoonful  of  butter  melted 
in  it,  and  fry  the  veal  a  handsome  brown.  Take  out  the 
meat,  and  put  a  pint  of  stock  into  the  spider ;  and,  as  it  boils 
up,  stir  in  a  spoonful  of  browned  flour  rubbed  smooth  in  but- 
ter ;  add  salt  and  pepper,  and  two  or  three  spoonfuls  of  ketch- 
up, and  half  a  grated  nutmeg,  or  a  blade  of  mace,  return  the 
veal  to  the  spider,  and  boil  up  once. 

Rabbits  and  Squirrels. 

Clean  and  wash  them  well,  scald  them  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  in  just  water  enough  to  cover  them.  Skim  the  wa- 
ter, cut  them  up,  and  dip  the  pieces  in  beaten  egg,  and  roll 
in  bread-crumbs  or  pounded  cracker,  with  salt  and  a  litfle 
pepper.  Fry  them  brown  in  butter ;  lay  them  in  a  fricassee- 
dish.  Put  a  little  of  the  water  in  which  they  were  boiled 
into  the  spider;  rub  two  spoonfuls  of  browned  flour  smooth 
in  some  of  the  water,  and  stir  into  the  spider,  and  pour  over 
the  pieces.  If  the  gravy  does  not  seem  rich  enough,  stir  into 
it  a  small  spoonful  of  butter.  Rabbits  and  squirrels  are  nice 
fricasseed  like  chickens.  Rabbits  are  also  stuffed  and  roasted. 

Melton  Veal,  or  Veal  Cake. 

Cut  three  or  four  pounds  of  raw  veal,  and  half  as  much  ham, 
into  small  pieces.  If  you  have  the  remains  of  cooked  veal  or 
ham,  add  them.  Boil  six  eggs  hard,  cut  them  in  slices,  and  lay 
some  of  them  in  the  bottom  of  a  deep  brown  pan ;  shake  in  a 
little  minced  parsley ;  lay  in  some  of  the  pieces  of  veal  and 
ham,  then  add  more  egg,  parsley,  pepper,  and  salt ;  then  more 
meat,  and  again  parsley,  pepper,  and  salt,  till  all  the  meat  is  laid 
in.  Lastly  add  water  enough  just  to  cover  it,  and  lay  on  about 
an  ounce  of  butter  shaved  thin  ;  tie  over  it  a  double  paper,  bake 
it  an  hour,  then  remove  the  paper,  press  it  down  with  a  spoon, 


VENISON ROAST    PIG.  153 

and  lay  a  small  plate  with  a  weight  upon  it,  and  let  it  remain 
another  hour  in  the  oven.     When  cold,  it  will  cut  in  slices. 

Venison. 

Roast  a  haunch  like  a  loin  or  leg  of  veal,  and  about  as  long, 
Flour  it  thickly.  Put  some  of  the  stock  for  gravies,  or  water 
in  which  beef  has  been  boiled,  into  the  pan,  and  baste  it  often. 
Half  an  hour  before  serving  it  add  a  table-spoonful  of  butter 
to  the  gravy,  and  baste  it  again  and  again. 

If  you  use  Hazes  at  the  table,  roast  it  but  an  hour.  Most  per- 
sons like  venison  cooked  simply,  without  spices.  But  if  you 
choose  to  have  a  dressing,  make  it  as  for  veal,  with  the  addition 
of  powdered  clove. 

Venison  steaks  are  cooked  like  beef  steaks. 

To  Roast  a  Pig. 

It  should  not  be  more  than  a  month  old.  It  is  better  a  little 
less,  and  it  should  be  killed  on  the  morning  of  the  day  it  is  to 
be  cooked.  Sprinkle  fine  salt  over  it  an  hour  before  it  is  put 
to  the  fire.  Cut  off  the  feet  at  the  first  joint.  Make  stuffing 
enough  to  fill  it  very  full,  of  bread  crumbs  moistened  with  a 
little  milk,  a  small  piece  of  butter,  sweet  marjoram,  sage,  pep- 
per, and  salt.  When  placed  on  the  spit,  confine  the  legs  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  give  it  a  good  shape.  Rub  it  all  over  with  but- 
ter or  sweet  oil,  to  keep  it  from  blistering.  Flour  it  at  first 
a  little.  As  soon  as  it  begins  to  brown,  dredge  on  a  very 
thick  covering  of  flour.  Turn  the  spit  every  three  or  four  min-. 
utes.  If  the  flour  falls  off,  instantly  renew  it.  When  it  has  all 
become  of  a  dark  brown  color,  scrape  it  off  into  a  plate  and  set 
it  aside.  Put  a  piece  of  butter  into  the  gravy  in  the  roaster, 
and  baste  the  pig  very  often,  till  it  is  done,  which  it  is  when  the 
eyes  fall  out.  The  feet  and  liver  should  be  boiled  an  hour  or 
two,  and  the  gravy  from  the  roaster  be  poured  into  the  water 
in  which  they  were  boiled.  The  liver  should  be  cut  or  mashed 
fine,  and  the  feet  cut  open  and  returned  to  ,the  sauce-pan,  the 
brains  taken  out  and  added,  and  the  gravy  thickened  with  the 


154  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

browned  flour  reserved  in  the  plate.     A  pig  of  a  month  old  will 
roast  in  two  hours  and  a  half. 

A  Shoulder  of  Pork. 

One  weighing  ten  pounds  will  require  full  three  hours  and  a 
half  to  roast  it.  For  a  small  family  divide  it,  and  roast  one 
half  and  corn  the  other.  With  a  sharp  knife  score  the  skin  in 
diamonds,  or  in  strips  about  an  inch  wide.  Make  a  dressing,  as 
directed  under  the  head  of  Stuffing  of  Various  Kinds.  Put 
this  into .  deep  incisions  made  in  the  thick  part  of  the  meat. 
Hub  a  little  fine  powdered  sage  into  the  skin  where  it  is  scored ; 
and  then  rub  the  whole  surface  with  sweet  oil,  or  drippings,  to 
prevent  its  blistering.  Observe  the  directions  respecting  the 
basting  and  frequent  turning  of  meat.  Pork  burns  very  easily, 
and  both  the  taste  and  appearance  are  much  injured  by  its 
being  burnt.  While  cooking,  flour  it  often. 

Spare-rib  or  Chine. 

A  spare-rib  requires  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two  hours,  accord- 
ing to  the  thickness.  A  very  thin  one  will  roast  in  an  hour 
and  a  half.  Flour  it  well,  and  take  care  it  does  not  burn. 
Baste  it  often.  The  chine  requires  a  longer  time,  being  a 
thicker  piece.  It  is  more  healthy,  because  less  fat  than  the 
spare-rib,  and  having  more  meat  in  proportion  to  the  bone,  is  a 
more  economical  piece.  Before  roasting  either,  trim  off  neatly, 
with  a  sharp  knife,  all  the  fat  which  can  be  removed  without 
disfiguring  the  piece,  and  set  it  aside  to  be  tried  and  used  as 
lard. 

Pork  Steaks. 

Cut  slices  from  the  loin  or  neck. 

To  fry  pork  steaks  requires  twenty-five  or  thirty  minutes. 
Turn  them  often.  If  they  are  quite  fat,  pour  off  all  that  fries 
out  when  they  are  half  done,  and  reserve  it  for  some  other  use. 
Then  dip  the  steaks  in  crumbs  of  bread  with  a  little  powdered 
sage,  and  lay  them  back  into  the  frying-pan.  When  done 


SAUSAGES HAM    OK    SHOULDER.  155 

through,  take  them  up,  dredge  a  little  browned  flour  into  the 
gravy,  put  in  salt,  pour  in  a  gill  of  boiling  water,  and  turn  it 
instantly,  as  it  boils  up,  upon  the  dish  of  steaks. 

To  Fry  Sausages. 

Sausages  may  be  kept  for  some  time,  but  fresh  ones  are  con- 
sidered best.  Separate  them,  prick  them  to  prevent  their  burst- 
ing, and  lay  them  in  a  spider.  If  they  are  properly  made, 
they  will  need  no  fat  to  fry  them.  Cook  them  slowly,  at  first, 
but  brown  every  side  of  them  before  taking  them  up.  They 
cook  very  well  laid  in  a  pan  and  set  in  a  cooking-stove,  but 
must  be  turned  often,  and  care  taken  that  they  do  not  burn. 
Some  persons  fry  bread  in  the  fat  which  remains,  in  this  way. 
Dip  slices  of  bread,  or  crusts  which  have  been  cut  and  become 
dry,  in  salt  and  water,  and  lay  them  in  the  spider  as  soon  as 
you  take  out  the  sausages.  When  brown  one  side,  turn  them. 
Serve  them  with  the  sausages.  It  takes  twenty  minutes  to  fry 
sausages  in  a  spider,  and  half  an  hour  to  cook  them  in  a  stove. 
For  those  persons  whose  health  is  injured  by  eating  them,  it  is 
best  to  lay  them  into  a  little  water,  and  cook  them  thus,  as  long 
as  they  are  usually  fried,  then  pour  off  the  water  and  brown 
.them.  This  renders  them  comparatively  harmless.  The  bread, 
fried  as  directed,  does  not  absorb  much  fat. 

To  Boil  a  Ham  or  Shoulder. 

A  ham,  weighing  twelve  pounds,  should  be  cooked  four  or  five 
hours.  Boil  it  slowly  in  a  plenty  of  water  half  the  time  it 
should  be  cooked  ;  then  take  off  the  skin  and  any  excrescences 
that  were  not  removed  by  washing.  Cover  the  fat  side  with 
pounded  cracker,  and  lay  it  in  a  dripping  pan,  or  iron  basin, 
and  put  it  into  the  stove.  Let  it  remain  the  other  half  of  the  time. 

The  baking  roasts  out  a  great  quantity  of  fat,  and  leaves  the 
meat  much  more  delicate.  In  warm  weather  it  will  keep  in  a 
dry,  cool  place,  a  long  time.  If  after  ten  days  you  perceive  a 
tendency  to  mould,  set  it  a  little  while  into  the  oven  again.  It 
is  often  a  more  agreeable  dinner  in  hot  weather  than  fresh 
meat. 


156  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

If  a  ham  is  very  salt,  it  should  lie  in  water  over  night.  In 
baking  it,  care  should  be  taken  that  it  is  not  done  too  much,  and 
thus  made  dry.  If  the  oven  is  a  brick  one  and  holds  the  heat 
a  long  time,  it  will  do  to  put  it  in  when  the  bread  is  taken  out. 

The  fat  which  bakes  out  is  good  to  fry  eggs  or  potatoes,  and 
if  not  strong,  will  do  to  use  on  the  griddle. 

To  Fry  Ham  and  Eggs. 

Cut  thin  slices,  and  take  off  the  rind ;  if  very  salt,  pour  hot 
water  upon  them,  but  do  not  suffer  them  to  lie  long  in  it,  as  the 
juices  of  the  meat  will  be  lost.  Wipe  them  in  a  cloth ;  have  the 
spider  ready  hot,  lay  in  the  pieces  and  turn  them  in  a  minute 
or  two.  They  will  cook  in  a  very  short  time.  The  secret  of 
having  good  fried  ham  is  in  cooking  it  quick,  and  not  too  much. 
The  practice  of  cutting  thick  slices,  laying  them  into  a  cold 
spider  and  frying  a  long  time,  makes  ham  black  and  hard.  It 
needs  nothing  added,  but  to  be  laid  upon  a  hot  covered  dish. 
For  directions  about  the  eggs,  see  p.  173. 

To  Broil  Ham. 

Cut  the  slices  very  thin,  for  which  you  must  have  a  sharp 
knife ;  pare  off  the  rind ;  lay  them  on  the  gridiron  over  hot 
coals.  Do  not  leave  them  a  moment,  as  they  must  be  almost 
immediately  turned,  and  will  need  attention  to  keep  the  edges 
from  burning.  Two  minutes  will  broil  them. 

To  Fry  Salt  Pork. 

Cut  slices  and  lay  them  in  cold  water  in  the  spider ;  boil 
them  up  two  or  three  minutes,  then  pour  off  the  water  and  set 
the  spider  again  on  the  coals  and  brown  the  slices  on  each  side. 
Fried  pork,  with  baked  potatoes,  and  baked  or  fried  sour 
apples,  makes  a  very  good  dinner.  It  is  an  improvement  to  dip 
the  pork?  after  being  par-boiled,  into  Indian  meal,  before  fry- 


Frizzled  Smoked  Beef. 

Shave  thin  slices,  and  put  them  in  a  teacupful  of  milk  into  a 


FRIZZLED   SMOKED  BEEF.  —  LIVER.  157 

email  kettle  or  sauce-pan ;  boil  it  a  few  minutes,  and  then  add  a 
small  bit  of  butter  and  an  egg  beaten  with  a  teaspoonful  of  flour, 
and  stir  well.  Put  a  little  more  milk  to  it  if  needed. 

[Smoked  beef  is  good  in  poached  eggs,  but  in  that  case  the 
beef  should  be  boiled  a  few  minutes  in  the  milk  before  the  eggs 
are  added.  The  last  remnants  of  a  ham  may  be  scraped  from 
the  bone,  and  put  into  poached  eggs,  but  will  not  need  the  boil- 
ing which  is  necessary  in  the  case  of  the  smoked  beef.] 

To  Shave  Smoked  Beef. 

Use  a  very  thin-bladed,  sharp  knife,  and  shave  as  thin  as  the 
thinnest  paper.  Do  not  attempt  to  cut  it  across  the  whole 
piece ;  no  matter  how  small  the  shavings  are,  if  they  are  but 
thin. 

Sandwiches. 

Shave  slices  of  ham  very  thin.  Then  take  a  loaf  of  bread 
one  day  old,  cut  off  the  end  crust,  spread  butter  on  the  loaf; 
then  cut  off  a  thin  slice,  divide  it  across,  lay  a  shaving  of 
ham  on  one  half,  and  lay  the  other  over  it.  Do  this  till 
you  have  as  many  as  you  wish  for.  Smoked  or  salted  tongue, 
cut  thin,  is  often  used  instead  of  ham. 

It  is  an  economical  and  nice  way  to  chop  the  remains  of 
ham  very  fine,  and  spread  between  the  slices  of  bread  and 
butter. 

Sandwiches  should  not  be  prepared  till  near  the  time  when 
they  are  to  be  used,  as  bread  that  is  cut  thin  dries  very  soon 
Some  persons  like  to  have  mustard  spread  over  the  slices  of 
ham. 

Fricassee  of  Beef 

Slice  rare  cold  beef.  To  what  gravy  you  may  have,  ?xld 
water,  salt,  a  bit  of  butter,  a  small  pinch  of  cayenne  pepper, 
and,  when  it  boils,  enough  browned  flour  to  thicken  slightly. 
Lay  in  the  slices  of  beef,  and  stew  a  few  moments. 

Liver. 

Take  calf's  liver.  It  is  much  more  tender  and  delicate 
than  beefs  liver.  Cut  it  in  slices  half  an  inch  thick,  and  broil 


158  THE  YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

over  quick  coals.     Turn  it  but  once.     Lay  it  on  a  hot  dish, 
and  add  butter,  salt,  and  pepper,  the  same  as  for  beefsteak. 

To  fry  it.  Fry  two  or  three  slices  of  salt  pork  crisp  ;  then 
lay  in  the  liver  cut  as  for  broiling.  Serve  with  salt  and  pep- 
per, and  lay  the  pork  on  the  side  of  the  dish. 

Tripe. 

Boil  it  till  tender.  When  cold,  cut  it  in  pieces  four  or  five 
inches  square  ;  flour  it  a  little  ;  grease  the  gridiron,  and  broil 
over  a  clear  fire  ;  lay  it  in  a  hot  dish,  add  pepper  and  salt, 
and  butter,  and  serve. 

To  fry  it.  Lay  two  or  three  slices  of  fat  pork  into  a  spi- 
der, and,  when  these  are  crisp,  dip  the  pieces  of  tripe  in  a 
beaten  egg,  and  sprinkle  them  with  fine  crumbs  of  bread  or 
cracker,  and  fry  brown.  They  are  sometimes  dipped  in  bat- 
ter. 


TO    LAY    MEAT    AND    POULTRY    ON    THE 
DISH    FOB    THE    TABLE. 

LAY  a  sirloin  of  beef  with  the  tenderloin  down,  and  the  thick 
end  towards  the  left  hand  of  the  person  who  carves. 

A  loin  of  veal  or  a  quarter  of  lamb,  with  the  thick  edge 
toward  the  carver,  and  the  inside  uppermost.  A  leg  of  veal, 
with  the  inside  up,  and  the  thick  end  toward  the  right  hand.  A 
leg  of  mutton  or  lamb  in  the  same  way.  A  fore  quarter  of 
lamb  or  a  breast  of  veal,  with  the  outside  up,  and  the  thick 
edge  toward  the  carver.  A  ham,  with  the  outside  up,  and  the 
thick  end  toward  the  right  hand.  "  A  turkey  or  goose  upon 
the  back,  with  the  neck  toward  the  left  hand.  Fowls  on  the 
back,  and  if  there  is  more  than  one,  with  the  legs  toward  the 
carver. 

The  appearance  of  a  fowl  or  turkey  when  on  the  table,  de- 
pends much  on  its  having  been  handsomely  skewered. 


TO   SELECT   POULTRY,   AND  PREPARE   IT   FOR   COOKING.     159 


TO  SELECT  POULTRY  AND  PREPARE  IT 
FOR  BEINQ  COOKED. 

A  YOUNG  turkey  has  a  smooth  leg,  and  a  soft  bill,  and  if  fresh, 
the  eyes  will  be  bright,  and  the  feet  moist.  Old  turkeys  have 
scaly,  stiff  feet. 

Young  fowls  have  a  tender  skin,  smooth  legs,  and  the  breast 
bone  readily  yields  to  the  pressure  of  the  finger.  The  best  are 
those  that  have  yellow  legs.  The  feet  and  legs  of  old  fowls 
look  as  if  they  had  seen  hard  service  in  the  world. 

Young  ducks  feel  tender  under  the  wing,  and  the  web  of  the 
foot  is  transparent.  The  best  are  thick  and  hard  on  the 
breast. 

Young  geese  have  yellow  bills,  and  the  feet  are  yellow  and 
supple ;  the  skin  may  be  easily  broken  by  the  head  of  a  pin ; 
the  breast  is  plump,  and  the  fat  white.  An  old  goose  is  unfit 
for  the  human  stomach. 

To  keep  fowls  hi  warm  weather,  take  out  the  heart  and  liver 
and  parboil  them,  set  them  aside  in  a  cool  place,  to  be  used  in 
the  gravy.  Wash  the  fowls  as  clean  as  possible  from  the  blood, 
and  plunge  one  at  a  time  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water  for  five 
minutes,  moving  it  about,  that  the  water  may  penetrate  every 
part.  Drain  and  wipe  them  dry  and  pepper  the  inside  and  the 
necks.  This  process  will  enable  you  to  keep  them  two  days  in 
warm  weather.  In  cold  weather  all  sorts  of  poultry  should  be 
kept  at  least  a  week ;  but  care  should  be  taken  that  they  do  not 
freeze,  as  they  are  not  quite  so  good  for  being  frozen. 

Pick  out  the  pin  feathers  very  carefully.  A  pair  of  tweezers 
is  sometimes  necessary  to  take  out  those  which  a  knife  will  not 
.remove.  Cut  out  the  oil  bag  above  the  tail.  Singe  off  all  the 
hair  by  turning  it  quickly  over  a  blazing  paper.  Cut  off  the 
legs  at  the  joint  above  the  feet ;  trim  the  neck,  and  if  too  long 
cut  off  some  of  it ;  draw  out  the  crop  and  be  sure  to  take  ou* 


160  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEXD. 

every  thing  from  the  inside.  The  best  way  of  removing  the 
crop  is  to  make  an  incision  along  the  backbone,  just  below  the 
neck.  It  can  be  removed  in  this  way  as  easily  as  by  the  com- 
mon method,  and  the  appearance  of  the  bird,  when  laid  on  the 
dish,  is  much  better.  Be  careful,  in  removing  the  gall  bag,  not 
to  break  it,  as  it  will  make  every  spot  it  touches  bitter,  and  the 
rv>st  careful  washing  will  not  remove  it.  If  there  is  much  fat, 
trim  off  most  of  it.  Throw  the  liver,  heart,  and  gizzard  into 
water  and  wash  them.  Wash  the  fowl  in  several  waters.  It  is 
then  ready  to  be  stuffed  and  skewered,  as  directed  under  the 
head,  To  roast  a  Turkey.  Some  persons  think  fowls  much  bet- 
ter not  to  be  washed ;  but  they  cannot  be  clean  without. 

The  sharpness  of  the  breast  bone,  which  is  a  defect  in  the 
appearance  of  a  fowl  on  the  table,  may  be  remedied  in  the  fol- 
lowing way :  When  preparing  it  to  be  cooked,  take  a  small 
sharp  knife,  and  passing  it  up  the  body,  cut  off  the  little  slender 
bones  which  join  the  hug-me-close  *  to  the  side.  Then  push 
down  the  breast  bone  by  pressing  heavily  upon  it.  A  little 
.practice  will  make  it  easy  to  do  this. 

« 

To  Roast  a  Turkey. 

Observe  the  directions  under  the  head,  To  prepare  Poultry  for 
being  cooked.  Make  a  stuffing,  and  fill  both  the  breast  and  body. 
Sew  it  up  with  a  needle  and  coarse  thread  ;  tie  the  skin  over 
the  end  of  the  neck  with  a  thread  or  piece  of  twine.  Push  a 
short  skewer  through  above  the  tail,  and  a  long  one  through  the 
body  under  the  thighs ;  then  tie  the  ends  of  the  legs  down  with 
a  twine,  close  upon  the  short  skewer.  Push  another  long 
skewer  through  the  body,  so  as  to  confine  the  wings,  and  tie 
them  round  with  a  twine.  Put  the  spit  through  the  length  of  the 
body,  and  fasten  it  with  two  skewers ;  flour  it,  and  put  it  to  the 
fire  with  a  little  water  in  the  roaster.  It  should  be  roasted 
rather  slowly.  A  turkey  weighing  twelve  pounds  should  roast 


*  This  is  the  bone  on  each  side  the  neck  of  a  fowl,  which  answers  to 
the  collar  bone  in  the  htunan  frame. 


ON  COOKING  FOWLS.  161 

three  hours  ;  one  weighing  six  or  seven,  an  hour  and  a  half. 
When  half  done,  flour  it  again  thickly ;  when  this  is  browned, 
baste  it  often.  If  much  fat  roasts  out,  dip  off  most  of  it  when 
the  turkey  is  about  half  done,  and  put  a  small  piece  of  butter 
into  the  gravy,  and  baste  the  turkey  with  it.  Having  washed 
the  heart,  liver,  &c.,  boil  them  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  a  sauce- 
pan in  a  pint  of  water ;  skim  them  when  the  water  first  boils 
up ;  if  it  boils  away,  add  more. 

To  make  the  gravy,  take  out  the  heart  and  gizzard,  mash 
the  liver,  and  put  it  back  into  the  water  in  which  it  was  boiled, 
and  pour  the  gravy  also  out  of  the  roaster  into  it ;  set  it  on  the 
coals,  add  browned  flour,  wet  smooth,  and  a  little  butter  and 
pepper,  and  boil  it  a  minute  or  two,  and  then  serve  it.  When 
dished,  put  a  few  spoonfuls  of  gravy  over  it,  and  garnish 
with  sprigs  of  celery  or  parsley.  Cranberry-sauce  or  cur- 
rant or  grape  jelly  are  appropriate  to  roast  turkey. 

More  directions  respecting  gravies  may  be  found  under  the 
head,  Directions  for  making  various  kinds  of  Gravies. 

To  Boil  a  Turkey. 

Stuif  a  young  turkey,  weighing  six  or  seven  pounds,  with 
bread,  butter,  salt,  pepper,  and  minced  parsley ;  skewer  up  the 
legs  and  wings  as  if  to  roast ;  flour  a  cloth  and  pin  around  it. 
Boil  it 'forty  minutes,  then  set  off  the  kettle  and  let  it  stand, 
close  covered,  half  an  hour  more.  The  steam  will  cook  it  suf- 
ficiently. To  be  eaten  with  drawn  butter  and  stewed  oysters. 

To  Roast  Chickens. 

Observe  the  same  directions  in  stuffing  them  as  for  a  turkey. 
If  you  wish  to  roast  several  before  an  open  fire,  the  spit  may 
be  put  through  side-ways,  instead  of  length-ways,  and  four  or 
five  can  thus  be  roasted  at  once,  in  a  large  roaster.  Boil  the 
inwards  and  make  the  gravy  as  for  a  turkey.  Koast  them  an 
hour  and  a  half. 


162  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

To  Boil  Chickens. 

Make  the  same  dressing  as  directed  for  a  boiled  turkey,  or 
boil  them  without  stuffing  if  preferred.  Skewer  them  up  into  a 
good  shape,  as  when  prepared  to  roast,  and  boil  them  an  hour 
and  a  quarter.  Serve  them  with  drawn  butter  and  cut  parsley. 
It  is  an  improvement  to  mash  the  livers  and  put  into  the  butter. 
If  chickens  can  be  carefully  skimmed,  they  need  no  cloth  around 
them. 

To  Broil  Chickens. 

Cuf  them  open  through  the  back,  take  out  the  inwards,  wash 
them  and  wipe  them  dry ;  place  the  inside  down  on  the  grid- 
iron. They  must  broil  slowly,  and  care  be  taken  they  do  not 
burn.  Turn  them  in  ten  minutes.  To  keep  them  flat,  lay  a 
tin  sheet  upon  them,  with  a  weight.  Broil  twenty-five  minutes, 
and  dress  with  butter,  pepper,  and  salt.  They  can  be  broiled 
best  over  charcoal 

To  Fricassee  Chickens. 

Boil  them  forty  minutes  in  water  enough  barely  to  cover 
them.  Take  off  the  scum  as  fast  as  it  rises.  Take  them  up 
and  carve  them  in  the  usual  way.  Put  part  of  the  water  in 
which  they  were  boiled  into  a  spider  or  stew-pan.  For  two 
chickens  rub  a  piece  of  butter  as  large  as  an  egg,  and  a  spoonful 
of  flour  together,  and  stir  into  the  water  as  it  boils  up.  Add 
some  salt,  and  a  gill  of  cream,  or  milk.  Lay  in  the  pieces  of 
chicken,  cover  the  pan  close,  and  stew  them  gently  twenty 
minutes.  Parsley  cut  fine  is  a  decided  improvement. 

Chicken  Salad. 

Boil  or  roast  a  nice  fowl.  "When  cold,  cut  off  all  the  meat, 
and  chop  it  a  little,  but  not  very  small ;  cut  up  a  large  bunch  of 
celery  and  mix  with  the  chicken.  Boil  four  eggs  hard,  mash, 
and  mix  them  with  sweet  oil,  pepper,  salt,  mustard,  and  a  gill  of 
vinegar.  Beat  this  mixture  very  thoroughly  together,  and  just 
before  dinner  pour  it  over  the  chicken. 


ON  COOKING  FOWLS.  163 

Fried  Chickens  (with  Cream  Sauce). 

Cut  two  chickens  in  pieces,  and  sprinkle  with  pepper  and 
salt  about  an  hour  before  dinner.  Before  frying,  dredge  flour 
over  them.  Beat  two  eggs,  dip  each  piece  in  this,  and  fry  in 
hot  lard.  Boil  up  a  cup  and  a  half  of  cream  or  rich  milk, 
and  add  a  spoonful  of  butter  rubbed  into  a  spoonful  of  flour 
with  a  little  salt.  Stir  constantly  till  it  boils  again.  Lay 
the  chickens  in  a  fricassee  dish,  pour  the  sauce  around  them, 
and  serve. 


To  Bone  a  Turkey. 

Boil  a  turkey  in  as  little  water  as  may  be ;  remove  all  the 
skin  and  the  fat.  Slice  the  meat,  get  all  off  clean  from  the 
bones,  mix  the  dark  and  white  parts  together,  and  season 
with  salt  and  pepper.  Having  kept  the  water  warm  in  which 
the  turkey  was  boiled,  pour  it  upon  the  meat,  and  mix  well. 
Lay  it  in  a  coarse  cloth,  in  a  compact  shape,  and  press  it  with 
a  heavy  weight.  Next  day,  serve  it  in  thin  slices. 

To  Broil  Prairie-Chickens. 

Broil  like  other  chickens,  but  longer,  because  they  are 
larger,  and  the  meat  is  thick.  The  fire  should  not  be  very 
hot,  as  they  should  broil  gradually.  Lay  upon  a  hot  platter, 
sprinkle  with  salt  and  pepper,  and  put  on  a  plenty  of  butter. 
The  meat  is  very  dry,  and  considerable  butter  is  necessary. 
To  be  eaten  with  currant-jelly. 

A  fricassee  ot  Prairie-Chickens. 

Remove  the  inwards,  wash  the  chickens,  and  boil  an  hour, 
or  a  little  more.  Skim  carefully  :  the  water  is  not  so  easily 
skimmed  as  that  in  which  other  chickens  are  boiled.  Strain 
the  liquor  into  a  stew-pan.  When  it  boils  up,  add,  for  one 
chicken,  a  spoonful  of  butter,  two  or  three  teaspoonfuls  of 
browned  flour,  salt,  and  a  little  pepper,  and  stew  ten  minutes. 


164  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Chicken  Pie. 

Boil  chickens  in  water  barely  to  cover  them,  fort/  minutes. 
Skim  the  water  carefully.  Take  them  out  into  a  dish,  and  cut 
them  up  as  they  should  be  carved  if  placed  upon  the  table.  If 
the  skin  is  very  thick  remove  it.  Have  ready,  lined  with  a 
thick  paste,  a  deep  dish,  of  a  size  proportioned  to  the  number  of 
chickens  you  wish  to  use ;  put  in  the  pieces,  with  the  hearts 
and  livers,  in  layers ;  sprinkle  each  layer  with  flour,  salt,  and 
pepper,  and  put  on  each  piece  of  chicken  a  thin  shaving  of  but- 
ter ;  do  this  till  you  have  laid  in  all  the  pieces  ;  put  rather  more 
of  the  spice,  flour,  and  butter  over  the  top  layer  than  on  the  pre- 
vious ones,  and  pour  in  as  much  of  the  liquor  in  which  the 
chickens  were  boiled  as  you  can  without  danger  of  its  boiling 
over.  Lay  on  the  upper  crust,  and  close  the  edges  very  care- 
fully with  flour  and  water ;  prick  the  top  with  a  knife.  Cut 
leaves  of  crust  and  ornament  it.  Bake  two  hours.  The  crust 
for  chicken  pie  should  be  twice  as  thick  as  for  fruit  pies.  Use 
mace  and  nutmeg  if  you  wish. 

To  Roast  Ducks. 

Flour  them  thick  and  baste  them  often.  If  they  are  roasted 
before  the  fire,  an  hour  is  long  enough ;  if  in  a  stove,  an  hour 
and  a  half.  For  making  the  stuffing  and  gravy,  see  the  direc- 
tions. 

To  Boil  Ducks, 

Scald  and  lay  them  in  warm  water  a  few  minutes,  then  lay 
them  in  a  dish,  pour  boiling  milk  over  them,  and  let  them  lie  in 
it  two  or  three  hours.  Then  take  them  out,  dredge  them  with 
flour,  and  put  them  into  a  saucepan  of  cold  water,  cover  close 
and  boil  them  twenty  minutes.  Then  take  them  out  and  set 
them,  covered,  where  they  will  keep  warm,  and  make  the  sauce 
as  follows :  — 

Chop  a  large  onion  and  a  bunch  of  parsley  fine,  and  put  them 
into  a  gill  of  good  gravy.  [See  receipt  for  Stock.]  Add  a 
table-spoonful  of  lemon  juice,  a  little  salt,  pepper,  and  a  small 


ON   COOKING   FOWLS.  165 

piece  of  butter.     Stew  these  ingredients  half  an  hour ;  then  lay 
the  ducks  into  a  dish,  and  pour  the  sauce  over  them. 

To  Roast  a  Goose. 

Boil  it  half  an  hour  to  take  out  the  strong,  oily  taste,  then 
stuff  and  roast  it  exactly  like  a  turkey.  If  it  is  a  young  one, 
an  hour's  roasting  will  be  sufficient 

To  Boil  Partridges. 

Put  them  in  a  floured  cloth  into  boiling  water,  and  boil  them 
fast  fifteen  minutes.  For  sauce,  rub  a  very  small  piece  of  but- 
ter into  some  flour,  and  boil  in  a  teacup  of  cream.  Add  cut 
parsley  if  preferred. 

To  Roast  Partridges. 

Prepare  them  like  chickens,  and  roast  three-quarters  of  an 
hour.  Currant  or  grape  jelly  served  with  wild  birds. 

To  Roast  Pigeons. 

Pick  out  the  pin  feathers,  or  if  there  are  a  great  many,  pull 
off  the  skin.  Examine  the  inside  very  carefully.  Soak  them 
half  an  hour  in  a  good  deal  of  water,  to  take  out  the  blood. 
Then  boil  them  with  a  little  salt  in  the  water,  half  an  hour,  and 
take  off  the  scum  as  fast  as  it  rises.  Take  them  out,  flour  them 
well,  and  lay  them  into  a  dripping-pan  ;  strain  the  water  in  which 
they  were  boiled,  and  put  a  part  of  it  into  the  pan  ;  stir  in  it  a 
little  piece  of  butter,  and  baste  the  pigeons  often.  Add  pepper 
and  sweet  marjoram  if  you  prefer.  Roast  them  nearly  two 
hours.  Pigeons  need  to  be  cooked  a  long  tune. 

Pigeons  in  Disguise. 

Prepare  them  just  as  directed  in  the  receipt  above,  and  boil 
them  long  enough  to  remove  all  the  blood,  then  pepper  and  salt 
them,  make  a  good  paste,  roll  each  pigeon  close  in  a  piece  of  it ; 
tie  them  separately  in  a  cloth,  taking  care  not  to  break  the 
paste.  Boil  them  gently  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  a  good  deal  of 


166  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

water.     Lay  them  in  a  hot  dish,  and  pour  a  gravy  over  them 
made  of  cream,  parsley,  and  a  little  butter. 

Rgeon  Pie. 

Pick,  soak,  and  boil  pigeons  with  the  same  care  as  directed 
in  the  receipt  for  roasting  them.  Make  a  crust  just  as  for 
chicken  or  veal  pie.  Lay  in  the  pigeons  whole,  and  season 
with  pepper,  salt,  shavings  of  butter,  and  sweet  marjoram  ;  flour 
them  thickly,  then  strain  the  water  in  which  they  were  boiled, 
and  fill  the  dish  two  thirds  with  it.  Lay  the  top  crust  over, 
and  close  the  edges  well.  Make  many  incisions  with  the  point 
of  a  knife,  or  a  large  fork,  and  bake  an  hour  and  a  half. 

Woodcocks,  Quails,  and  other  small  birds. 

Pull  off  the  skin,  split  them  down  the  back  with  a  sharp  knife, 
pepper  the  breasts,  and  lay  the  inside  first  upon  the  gridiron. 
Broil  them  slowly  at  first,  skewer  a  small  bit  of  pork  upon  each 
one.  Turn  them  after  seven  or  eight  minutes.  Broil  them 
twenty  minutes. 

If  you  wish  to  make  a  p5e,  do  just  as  directed  for  the  pigeon 
pie. 

Chickens,  Lamb,  Pigeons,  &c,,  Curried. 

Boil  and  joint  two  chickens.  Fry  three  or  four  slices  of  salt 
pork,  and  when  they  are  nearly  brown  add  a  large  spoonful  of  but- 
ter. Cut  three  or  four  onions  fine,  and  fry  them  a  light  brown  ; 
then  remove  them,  and  the  pork,  and  fry  the  chickens  gently 
in  the  fat ;  strew  over*  the  meat  while  it  is  frying  a  spoonful 
and  a  half  of  good  curry  powder,  and  dredge  in  flour.  Then 
add  hot  water  to  make  sufficient  gravy  ;  if  the  gravy  is  not  thick 
enough,  mix  a  little  flour  smooth  in  cold  water,  and  stir  in.  Add 
salt  to  suit  your  taste.  This  dish  is  best  when  stewed  slowly. 
Garnish  with  slices  of  lemon. 

Partridges,  pigeons,  rabbits,  sweet-breads,  breasts  of  mutton, 
lamb,  and  veal,  are  all  used  for  curries. 

There  is  a  difference  in  the  quality  of  curry  powder.     The 


SOUPS.  167 

above  measure,  is  for  the  strongest  kind,  and  is  enough  for  a 
quart  of  gravy.  The  East  Indians  never  use  flour  in  thicken- 
ing the  gravy,  but  depend  on  the  curry  powder'. 

To  prepare  rice  for  Calcutta  curry,  wash  a  pint  in  several 
waters,  and  put  it  into  a  'kettle,  containing  a  gallon  of  warm 
water,  with  salt  in  it.  Cook  it  ten  minutes  from  the  time  it 
begins  to  boil ;  then  pour  it  into  a  sieve,  and  when  the  water  is 
entirely  drained  out,  shake  the  sieve,  and  the  particles  of  rice 
will  separate,  and  it  is  ready  to  serve.  Rice  should  always 
be  served  with  curry. 


SOUPS. 

SOUP  is  economical  food,  and  by  a  little  attention  may  be 
made  good  with  very  small  materials.  It  should  never  be  made 
of  meat  that  has  been  kept  too  long.  If  meat  is  old,  or  has  be- 
come tainted  in  the  least,  the  defect  is  peculiarly  offensive  in 
soup.  All  meat  and  bones  for  soup  should  be  boiled  a  long 
time,  and  set  aside  until  the  next  day  in  order  that  the  fat  may 
be  entirely  removed.  .  Then  add  the  vegetables,  rice,  and  herbs, 
and  boil  it  from  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  water  in 
which  fresh  meat  is  boiled  should  be  saved  for  soup  and  broth  ; 
and  the  bones  of  roast  beef  should  never  be  thrown  away  with- 
out boiling,  as  they  make  excellent  soup,  and  if  not  used  for 
this  purpose,  should  be  boiled  in  order  to  save  the  fat  which 
they  contain.  The  water  is  good  for  making  gravies. 

A  Rich  Soup. 

The  richest  soups  are  made  by  using  several  kinds  of  meat 
together  ;  as  beef,  mutton,  and  veal.  A  shank  of  each  of  these 
with  very  little  meat  upon  it,  should  be  boiled  several  hours  the 
first  day ;  and  vegetables,  with  various  kinds  of  spice,  added 
the  day  it  is  to  be  served.  Nice  soups  should  be  strained  ;  and 
they  are  good  with  macaroni,  added  afterwards,  and  boiled  half 


168  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

or  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  If  you  have  the  water,  in  which 
chickens  have  been  boiled,  the  soup  will  be  much  better  if  the 
beef,  mutton,  or  veal  are  boiled  in  this,  instead  of  pure  water. 

Roast  Beef  Bone  Soup. 

Boil  the  bones  at  least  three  hours,  or  until  every  particle  of 
meat  is  loose ;  then  take  them  out  and  scrape  off  the  meat  and 
set  aside  the  water ;  the  next  day  take  from  it  all  the  fat,  cut 
up  an  onion,  two  or  three  potatoes  and  a  turnip,  and  put  into  it. 
Add,  half  an  hour  before  dinner,  powdered  sweet  majoram,  cat- 
sup, and  some  salt.  Boil  it  an  hour. 

Shank  Soup. 

When  you  buy  a  shank,  have  the  butcher  cut  it  into  several 
pieces,  and  split  open  the  thickest  part  of  the  bone.  Boil  it 
three  or  four  hours  and  set  it  aside.  The  next  day,  take  off  the 
fat,  and  if  you  do  not  wish  to  eat  the  meat  in  the  soup,  take  that 
out  also;  add  vegetables,  etc.,  as  in  the  preceding  receipt. 

To  add  maccaroni,  take  a  handful,  cut  it  small,  wash,  and 
boil  it  half  an  hour,  then  put  it  into  the  soup  an  hour  before 
serving. 

Turtle-Bean  Soup. 

Soak  a  teacup  and  a  half  of  beans  in  a  little  water  over 
night.  To  boil,  add  two  quarts  more.  When  soft,  strain 
through  a  sieve  ;  add  stock,  or  water  in  which  roast-beef  bones 
have  been  boiled ;  also  an  onion,  turnip,  carrot,  salt,  sweet 
marjoram,  thyme,  and  four  cloves.  Boil  an  hour  longer.  If 
too  thick,  add  water.  Take  out  the  vegetables  before  serving. 
It  can  be  made  without  stock,  but  needs  more  seasoning. 

Tomato  Soup. 

Put  three  pints  of  tomatoes,  stewed,  strained,  and  sweetened, 
ro  two  quarts  of  meat  liquor  (the  fat  being  removed).  Add 
an  onion,  salt,  and  pepper,  and  water  if  too  thick.  With  more 
seasoning,  and  a  bit  of  butter,  it  is  good  without  meat  liquor. 


SOUPS  —  OYSTER,   JULIENNE,   VERMICELLI.  169 

Oyster  Soup. 

Strain  the  liquor  from  one  quart  of  oysters,  and  set  it  on 
the  fire.  If  there  is  not  a  great  deal  of  the  liquor,  add  a 
pint  of  water.  Skim  when  it  boils  up,  and  add  a  saucer  of 
chopped  celery.  Boil  for  a  few  minutes,  then  pour  in  a  quart 
of  rich  milk.  When  it  again  boils  up,  stir  in  two  spoonfuls 
of  butter  rubbed  in  one  of  flour.  Then  add  the  oysters  (cut 
in  small  pieces,  or  not,  as  you  choose),  and  salt  and  pepper 
to  your  taste.  Let  the  soup  boil  but  one  or  two  minutes  after 
the  oysters  are  added,  then  take  up  in  a  hot  tureen.  Toast 
two  slices  of  bread,  or  a  few  crackers.  Cut  the  toasted  bread 
into  little  square  pieces,  and  put  [into  tthe  soup  just  before 
sending  to  the  table. 

Jnlienne  Soup. 

Slice  two  onions,  and  fry  brown  in  half  a  spoonful  of  but- 
ter, in  a  soup-kettle,  i,.  Then  put  in  three  quarts  of  good  stock  ; 
chop  small  two  turnips  and  two  carrots.  When  these  have 
boiled  an  hour,  add  a  stalk  of  celery  cut  small,  a  blade  of 
mace,  salt  and  pepper,  and  a  pint  each  of  green  peas  and 
string  beans.  Boil  two  hours  more.  Then  rub  a  spoonful  of 
butter  with  a  spoonful  of  flour,  and  stir  in.  The  peas  should 
be  fresh  gathered,  and  the  beans  should^  not  be  so  old  as  to 
have  a  string.  In  case  you  have  not  beef-stock,  the  water 
in  which  chickens  or  any  kind  of  fresh  meat  has  been  boiled 
will  be  a  good  substitute. 

Vermicelli  Soup. 

Boil  a  shin  of  veal  in  three  quarts  of  water.  Skim  it  very 
carefully,  then  put  in  an  onion,  a  turnip,  and  one  carrot,  not 
cut  up  ;  boil  three  hours.  Add  salt  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  vermicelli,  and  boil  a  full  hour  more.  Remove  the  bone 
and  vegetables,  and  serve.  If  the  water  boils  away,  add  a 
little  more. 


170  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Mock  Turtle  Soup. 

After  having  boiled  the  calf's  head  (see  receipt  on  page 
151),  strain  the  liquor,  and  set  it  away  in  an  earthen  pan  in 
a  cold  place.  Next  day  remove  the  fat,  put  it  in  a  soup-ket- 
tle. Cut  up  a  carrot,  a  turnip,  and  an  onion,  and  put  in  it ; 
add  salt,  half  a  dozen  cloves,  and  as  many  pepper-corns,  and 
boil  slowly  two  hours.  Then  strain,  and  return  it  to  the  soup- 
kettle.  Add  a  little  stock  if  more  soup  is  needed.  Cut  up 
some  of  the  pieces  left  of  the  head  on  the  previous  day,  and 
put  in.  Add  half  a  cup  of  ketchup.  To  make  the  force- 
meat balls,  chop  some  of  the  meat  fine,  and  mix  it  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  fine  bread-crumbs,  also  two  onions  chopped 
small ;  add  Cayenne  and  black  pepper,  sweet  marjoram,  and 
powdered  clove.  Beat  two  eggs,  and  with  them  stir  the  in- 
gredients together,  and  make  into  balls  the  size  of  an  Eng- 
lish walaut.  Fry  them  brown  in  butter,  and  put  them  and 
the  butter  in  the  soup.  Bub  smooth  in  a  table-spoonful  of  but- 
ter as  much  browned  flour  as  it  will  take  in,  and  stir  in ;  let 
it  boil  up  once  and  serve. 

Turkey  Soup. 

The  remnants  of  a  young  turkey  make  good  soup.  Put  all 
the  bones,  and  little  bits  left  of  a  dinner  into  about  three  quarts 
of  water.  If  you  have  turkey  gravy,  or  the  remnants  of  chick- 
ens, add  them  also,  and  boil  them  two  hours  or  more.  Skim 
'out  the  meat  and  bones,  and  set  the  water  aside  in  a  cool  place 
till  the  next  day.  Then  take  all  the  fat  from  the  top  ;  take  the 
bones  and  pieces  of  skin  out  from  the  meat  and  return  it  to  the 
liquor.  If  some  of  the  dressing  has  been  left,  put  that  in  also, 
and  boil  all  together  a  few  minutes.  If  more  seasoning  is 
needed,  add  it  to  suit  your  taste.  An  onion  should  be  boiled 
in  it. 

Pea  Soup. 

Take  a  pint  of  split  peas,  and,  when  carefully  picked  over 
and  washed,  put  them  into  a  pint  of  water,  soak  in  morning. 


SOUPS  —  VEGETABLE,   ETC.  171 

Three  hours  before  dinner,  put  them  into  a  pot  with  a  quart 
more  water,  and  about  half  a  pound  of  pork  (less  if  you  wish 
the  soup  not  very  rich.)  Boil  it  steadily,  and  be  careful  to  stir 
it  often,  lest  it  should  burn.  It  may  need  more  water  before 
dinner,  and  can  be  made  of  whatever  thickness  you  prefer. 

If  you  prefer  to  have  the  soup  without  pork  (which  makes  it 
too  rich  for  many  persons),  use  the  liquor  in  which  beef  or  other 
fresh  meat  has  been  boiled  instead  of  water,  and  use  no  pork. 
This  is  a  very  good  way. 

Vegetable  Soup. 

Take  two  turnips,  two  carrots,  four  potatoes,  one  large  onion, 
one  parsnip,  and  a  few  stalks  of  celery  or  some  parsley.  Cut 
them  all  very  fine,  or  chop  them  in  a  tray ;  put  them,  with  a 
spoonful  of  rice,  into  three  quarts  of  water,  and  boil  the  whole 
three  hours.  Then  strain  the  soup  through  a  colander  or  coarse 
sieve,  return  it  to  the  kettle,  and  put  it  over  the  fire.  Add  a 
piece  of  butter  of  the  size  of  a  nut,  stir  the  soup  till  the  butter  is 
melted,  dredge  in  a  little  flour,  let  it  boil  up  and  then  serve  it. 

Mutton  or  Lamb  Broth. 

Take  the  water  in  which  a  leg  of  mutton  or  lamb  was  boiled 
on  the  previous  day,  take  off  the  fat  and  boil  it  t\vo  hours  with  a 
turnip,  an  onion,  and  a  carrot,  cut  small.  Add  some  minced 
parsley  and  a  spoonful  of  rice.  All  these,  except  the  parsley, 
should  be  put  in  while  the  water  is  cold.  Any  little  pieces  of 
the  neck,  ribs,  or  shank  will  make  excellent  broth. 

Veal  Broth. 

Take  a  knuckle,  or  if  you  have  a  large  family,  two  knuckles 
of  veal.  Put  them  over  the  fire,  at  least  three  hours  before 
dinner-time ;  use  not  more  than  two  quarts  of  water  for  two 
knuckles,  and  skim  it  until  it  is  no  longer  necessary.  (Veal 
requires  more  attention  in  this  respect  than  any  other  meat). 
When  this  is  done,  add  a  spoonful  of  rice.  A  quarter  of  an 
hour  before  it  is  to  be  served,  put  in  some  minced  parsley, 


j[72  TOE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

salt,  and  pepper  It  is  a  very  nutritious  dish.  Some  persons 
add  two  or  three  slices  of  salt  pork. 

It  is  a  good  way,  after  having  taken  off  cutlets  from  the 
large  end  of  a  leg  of  veal,  to  boil  the  entire  piece  that  remains, 
with  the  knuckle.  Boil  it  two  hours  or  two  hours  and  a  half. 
Make  broth  of  the  liquor  by  putting  in  a  small  gill  of  rice,  and 
some  parsley ;  add  the  parsley  about  ten  minutes  before  it  ii 
served. 

Melt  butter  with  cut  parsley,  to  eat  on  the  meat. 

In  families  that  like  salt  pork,  a  piece  should  be  boiled  sep- 
arately to  eat  with  the  veal. 

Ox-Tail  Soup. 

Take  two  tails,  divide  them  at  the  joints.  Soak  them  a 
little  while  in  warm  water,  then  put  them  into  cold  water  in 
a  gallon  pot  or  stew-pan,  with  a  little  salt.  Skim  off  the 
froth.  When  the  meat  is  boiled  to  shreds,  take  out  the  bones, 
and  add  a  chopped  onion  and  carrot.  Use  spices  and  sweet 
herbs  as  you  prefer.  Sprinkle  in  a  little  farina  before  serv- 
ing.. It  is  well,  in  making  this  and  all  beef  soups,  to  boil 
the  bones  and  meat  the  day  before  being  served,  and  the  next 
day  take  off  the  fat  from  the  top  of  the  liquor,  and  then  add 
the  vegetables  and  spice,  and  boil  an  hour  and  a  half  more. 

Economical  Soup. 

Put  remnants  of  roast-beef,  uncooked  bones,  giblets,  trim- 
mings, and  bones  of  poultry,  into  two  quarts  of  meat-liquor. 
Add  salt,  and  skim  carefully.  Boil  two  hours,  then  strain, 
and  return  the  soup  to  the  kettle.  Add  two  turnips  and  a 
carrot  chopped  fine.  Slice  two  onions,  and  fry  brown  in  a 
little  butter,  and  put  in.  If  you  have  cold  gravy  of  roast 
meat,  remove  the  fat,  and  put  the  gravy  into  the  soup.  Boil 
an  hour  and  a  half  more.  A  few  minutes  before  serving, 
sprinkle  in  a  spoonful  of  farina,  dry.  Burn  sugar  in  an  iron 
spoon,  and  stir  in.  Serve  hot. 


EGGS —  BOILED,   FRIED,   POACHED.  173 

Lobster  Soup. 

Chop  the  meat  of  one  good-sized  lobster.  It  should  not  be 
chopped  very  fine.  Pound  and  sift  three  crackers,  and  rub 
into  the  "  tomalley,"  or  green  part  of  the  lobster,  adding  also 
a  piece  of  butter  large  as  an  egg,  a  little  salt,  and  Cayenne 
or  black  pepper.  Rub  together  till  smooth.  Boil  a  quart  of 
milk,  and  pour  gradually  upon  the  paste ;  then  put  in  the 
meat  of  the  lobster,  and  the  coral,  if  you  have  any,  chopped 
fine.  Boil  for  a  minute,  and  the  soup  is  ready  to  serve. 


EQGS. 

Boiled. 

NEW  laid  eggs  require  half  a  minute  longer  to  cook  than 
others.  The  fresher  they  are  the  better,  and  the  more  health- 
ful. Eggs  over  a  week  old  should  never  be  boiled ;  they  will 
do  to  fry.  Put  them  into  water  that  boils,  but  not  furiously,  as 
it  will  crack  them.  If  you  like  them  very  soft,  boil  them  three 
minutes.  If  you  wish  the  yolk  hard,  boil  them  five  minutes. 
To  be  served  with  salad,  they  should  be  boiled  twelve  minutes. 

Fried. 

After  you  have  fried  ham,  drop  in  the  eggs  one  at  a  time.  In 
about  a  minute  dip  the  boiling  fat  with  a  spoon  over  them  again 
and  again.  This  will  prevent  the  necessity  of  turning  them, 
which  it  is  difficult  to  do  without  breaking  the  yolks.  Take 
them  up  in  about  two  minutes  and  a  half,  with  a  skimmer.  The 
fat  that  roasts  out  of  a  ham  that  is  browned  in  an  oven,  is  good 
for  frying  eggs. 

Poached. 

Set  a  tin  pan  or  pail  on  the  range,  containing  a  pint  of  milk ; 
then  beat  six  eggs  well.  When  the  milk  is  very  nearly  boiling, 


174  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

put  in  a  teaspoonfulof  salt,  and  half  a  table-spoonful  of  butter  ; 
then  add  the  eggs,  and  stir  steadily,  until  it  thickens,  which  will 
be  in  a  minute  or  two.  Set  it  off  before  it  becomes  very  thick, 
and  continue  to  stir  it  a  minute  more.  Have  ready,  in  a  warm 
dish,  two  slices  of  toasted  bread,  spread  with  butter,  and  pour 
the  egg  over  them.  It  should  be  a  little  thicker  than  boiled 
custard.  This  is  an  ample  breakfast  for  six  or  seven  persons. 

Dropped. 

Drop  fresh  eggs  into  a  saucepan  of  boiling  water  with  salt  in 
it.  Put  them  in  gently,  so  as  not  to  break  the  yolks.  Have 
ready  slices  of  buttered  toast,  and  either  take  up  the  eggs  with 
a  skimmer  or  pour  off  the  water,  and  then  turn  them  out  of  the 
saucepan  upon  the  toast.  Add  more  salt,  if  they  are  not  sea- 
Boned  enough  by  that  which  is  in  the  water. 

Omelet  (baked). 

Boil  a  pint  of  milk.  Melt  in  it  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  and 
one  of  salt,  and  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  rubbed  smooth 
in  cold  milk.  Pour  this  upon  seven  or  eight  eggs  which  have 
been  beaten  for  two  or  three  minutes,  and  stir  very  fast  till 
well  mixed.  Then  pour  the  omelet  into  a  hot  dish,  buttered, 
that  will  hold  a  quart,  and  bake  about  twenty  minutes,  in  a 
quick  oven,  until  it  has  risen  up  very  high,  and  is  of  a  rich 
brown  color.  Send  it  directly  to  the  table  from  the  oven. 
Make  half  the  quantity  for  a  small  family.  This  is  sufficient 
for  seven  or  eight  persons. 

Omelets  (Fried). 

Allow  a  tablespoonful  of  milk  for  every  egg,  a  bit  of  butter 
large  as  a  nut,  melted,  a  pinch  of  salt.  Fry  on  a  griddle 
hot  enough  for  cakes,  buttered  to  prevent  sticking.  Drop 
them  on  the  griddle  like  large  cakes.  When  they  begin  to 
set,  turn  up  the  edge,  and,  as  they  brown,  fold  them  over  and 
over  ;  then  let  them  lie  a  moment  more.  Some  like  the  addi- 
tion of  boiled  ham  chopped  fine.  Have  ready  a  hot  covered 
dish,  and  send  them  to  the  table  hot  as  possible. 


SCRAMBLED   EGGS,   ETC.  175 

Oyster  Omelet. 

Chop  fine  twelve  large  oysters.  Beat  well  six  eggs,  and 
add  a  spoonful  of  flour;  rubbed  smooth  in  milk,  salt,  pepper, 
and  a  bit  of  butter  melted.  Fry  in  one  omelet,  and  serve 
hot. 

Scrambled  Eggs, 

Separate  the  yolks  and  whites  of  six  eggs.  Beat  the  yolks 
about  two  minutes ;  then  add  to  them  six  tablespoonfuls  of 
milk,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  beat  a  little  more.  Melt 
half  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  spider  or  saucepan.  Pour 
in  the  yolks,  and,  when  they  thicken  slightly,  pour  the  whites 
in,  without  beating  them  at  all.  Let  them  be  until  they  begin 
to  look  like  the  white  of  a  boiled  egg ;  then  gently  mix  them 
in  with  the  yolks  with  a  fork,  and  serve  in  a  hot  dish,  with 
or  without  pieces  of  buttered  toast  underneath.  Do  not  let 
them  remain  in  the  spider  till  stiff.  This  will  make  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  for  a  small  family ;  but  it  is  easy  to  increase  it 
to  any  desired  amount. 

A  Fraise  of  Ham. 

Cut  cold  ham  in  small  thin  bits.  Make  a  batter  of  one 
pint  of  milk,  a  spoonful  of  flour  rubbed  smooth  in  a  little  of 
the  milk,  five  or  six  beaten  eggs,  and  a  small  teaspoonful  of 
salt.  Have  ready  a  spider,  not  very  hot.  Drop  into  it  a 
large  teaspoonful  of  butter.  When  melted,  pour  in  half  th& 
batter,  and  strew  over  this  the  bits  of  ham  ;  then  pour  over  the 
rest  of  the  batter.  Let  it  cook  moderately,  and,  as  the  batter 
thickens,  turn  over  one-half  like  an  omelet,  and  serve  very 
hot.  Make  half  the  quantity  for  two  or  three  persons. 

A.  Fried  Omelet. 

Take  four  or  five  eggs,  and  allow  one  spoonful  of  milk  for 
every  egg.  Beat  them  two  minutes;  then  add  the  milk,  and 
a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Have  the  spider,  or  omelet-pan,  hot, 
but  not  enough  so  to  burn.  Melt  in  it  a  piece  of  butter  size 


176  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S 

of  a  large  walnut,  and  pour  in  the  batter.  When  it  thickens, 
and  looks  "brown  under  the  edges,  fold  it  over  gradually  with 
a  hroad  knife,  and  slip  the  omelet  from  the  spider  upon  a 
very  hot  small  platter.  It  must  be  eaten  immediately. 

It  makes  the  omelet  very  handsome  to  separate  two  or 
three  of  the  whites,  beat  them  stiff,  and  lay  upon  the  batter  as 
it  begins  to  heat ;  then  fold  the  batter  over,  as  directed,  after 
the  whites  are  cooked. 

Welsh  Rarebit. 

Melt  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  butter  in  a  saucepan.  Then 
put  in  a  teacup  of  cheese  cut  small,  and  two  or  three  spoon- 
fuls of  milk  or  cream.  Let  it  remain  about  five  minutes,  and 
stir  repeatedly.  Mix  with  this  a  beaten  egg  and  a  little 
pepper  and  salt.  Have  a  hot  dish  ready,  with  a  few  slices  of 
buttered  toast  in  it,  and  pour  a  part  of  the  mixture  on  each 
slice.  Serve  at  once,  as  hot  as  possible. 

Omelette  Souffle. 

Cut  to  a  stiff  froth  the  whites  of  eight  eggs,  with  four 
tablespoorifuls  of  sugar.  Have  ready  the  yolks  of  the  eggs, 
which  have  been  beaten  for  five  minutes.  Mix  the  whites 
and  yolks  together ;  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  flour  rubbed 
smooth  in  milk  or  cream.  Flavor  with  essence  of  lemon  or  va- 
nilla. Bake  about  fifteen  minutes.  Serve  immediately. 

Tomato  Omelet. 

Peel  and  chop  fine  four  medium-sized  ripe  tomatoes.  Rub 
two  spoonfuls  of  flour  into  a  small  piece  of  butter,  and  mix 
with  the  tomatoes.  Add  a  little  pepper  and  salt.  Beat  six 
eggs  a  few  minutes,  and  stir  into  the  tomatoes ;  then  fry  like 
other  omelets. 

Puff  Omelet. 

Heat  a  cup  of  milk ;  add  salt,  and  a  bit  of  butter.  Have 
ready,  beaten  together,  the  yolks  of  six  eggs,  with  the  whites 


DIRECTIONS    RESPECTING    FISH.  177 

of  three  ;  and  stir  into  the  milk.  Pour  this  into  a  hot  dish, 
buttered.  Add  the  whites  of  the  other  three  eggs,  heaten 
stiff.  Bake  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  If  the  top  becomes  suffi- 
ciently brown  while  the  mixture  underneath  is  yet  soft,  set 
the  dish  upon  the  top  of  your  stove  for  a  few  minutes,  until 
done,  which  may  be  ascertained  by  inserting  a  knife. 


DIRECTIONS    RESPECTING^    FISH. 

PURCHASE  those  which  have  just  been  caught.  Of  this  you 
can  judge  by  their  being  hard  under  the  pressure  of  the  finger. 
Fish  lose  their  best  flavor  soon,  and  a  few  hours  make  a  wide 
difference  in  the  taste  of  some  sorts. 

Cod  are  best  in  cold  weather.  Mackerel  are  best  in  Au- 
gust, September,  and  October.  Halibut,  in  May  and  June. 
Oysters  are  good  from  September  to  April ;  but  are  not  very 
good  or  healthy  from  the  first  of  May  to  the  last  of  August. 
Lobsters  are  best  at  the  season  when  oysters  are  not  good. 

They  must  be  put  alive  into  boiling  water  and  be  boiled  from 
thirty -five  to  forty  minutes.  Allow  a  large  spoonful  of  salt  to 
every  quart  of  water  in  which  they  are  boiled.  The  medium 
sized  ones  are  the  best.  The  shells  of  old  lobsters  are  apt  to  be 
encrusted.  On  no  account  should  they  be  eaten  later  than 
eighteen  hours  after  being"  boiled.  Some  persons  never  eat 
them  after  twelve  hours.  Pond  fish  should  be  soaked  in  strong 
salt  and  water  to  take  out  the  earthy  taste.  Fish  may  be  kept 
good  several  days,  if  frozen.  All  large  fish  need  to  be  soaked 
in  water  that  is  a  little  warm,  before  being  cleaned ;  and  they 
should  be  cleaned  with  great  care,  for  even  if  there  are  few  scales 
upon  them,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  slimy  substance  which  a 
knife  will  remove.  A  boiled  fish  is  done  when  the  eyes  turn 
white. 

When  you  broil  fish,  rub  the  gridiron  with  lard  or  drippings. 


178  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

to  prevent  its  sticking.  Do  not  attempt  to  turn  it  like  steaks, 
with  a  knife  and  fork,  but  lay  an  old  dish  upon  it,  and  hold  it 
on  with  one  hand,  while  you  turn  over  the  gridiron  with  the 
other.  Lay  the  skin  side  down  first. 

Fish  that  is  to  be  fried,  should  be  cut  up  and  laid  in  a  cloth 
for  an  hour  that  the  moisture  may  be  absorbed.  It  should  then 
be  rolled  in  fine  bread  crumbs,  or  Indian  meal.  That  which  is 
apt  to  break  in  frying  may  be  kept  whole  by  being  dipped  in  a 
beaten  egg,  before  it  is  rolled  in  the  bread  crumbs.  Oysters 
should  be  skimmed  out  of  the  liquor  before  being  cooked,  in 
order  that  it  may  be  strained,  as  there  are  often  bits  of  shell 
in  it. 

To  Boil  Cod. 

Rub  a  little  salt  down  the  bone,  and  over  the  thick  part. 
Wrap  it  in  a  cloth  and  put  it  over  the  fire  in  cold  water ;  put- 
ting it  into  hot  water  at  first  will  cause  the  outside  to  break 
before  the  centre  is  done.  See  that  it  is  covered  with  water, 
and  throw  in  a  table-spoonful  of  salt.  Take,  off  the  froth  care- 
fully, and  boil  it  half  an  hour.  Fresh  cod  is  eaten  with  oyster 
sauce  and  melted  butter,  or  with  the  latter  alone,  prepared  as 
directed  under  the  head  of  Drawn  Butter,  with  the  addition  of 
parsley  and  if  you  choose  three  or  four  eggs  boiled  very  hard, 
cut  up  and  put  into  it. 

The  head  and  shoulders  of  cod  are  so  much  thicker  than 
the  other  part,  that  it  is  impossible  to  boil  the  fish  whole  and 
have  all  parts  equally  cooked.  It  is  therefore  a  good  way  to 
buy  a  large  cod,  divide  it,  boil  the  head  and  shoulders,  and  fry 
the  other  part,  or  sprinkle  it  with  salt,  and  after  a  day  or  two, 
broil  it. 

Cod  Sounds  and  Tongues. 

Soak  them  over  night,  wash  and  scrape,  and  boil  them 
gently  a  short  time,  in  milk  and  water.  To  be  eaten  with 
drawn  butter.  If  fresh,  wash,  and  dry  them  with  a  cloth,  dip 
them  in  meal,  and  fry  with  a  little  salt  pork. 


FISH BAKED,  FRIED,  ETC.  179 

To  Bake  a  Cod  or  Black  Fish. 

The  simplest  way  of  baking  fish,  is  very. good.  Spread  little 
pieces  of  bread,  with  butter ;  pepper  and  salt  them,  and  lay 
them  inside  the  fish.  Then  take  a  needle  and  thread  and  sew 
it  up.  Put  a  small  skewer  through  the  lip  and  tail,  and  fasten 
them  together  with  a  piece  of  twine.  Lay  it  into  a  dish,  in  which 
it  may  be  served,  put  two  or  three  thin  slices  of  salt  pork  upon 
it,  sprinkle  salt  over  it,  and  flour  it  well.  Baste  it  several  times 
with  the  liquor  which  cooks  out  of  it.  A  fish  weighing  four 
pounds  will  cook  in  an  hour. 

To  make  a  richer  dish. 

Chop  fine  a  half  a  teacupful  of  fat  ham ;  add  a  large  spoonful 
of  butter,  some  parsley,  thyme,  marjoram,  a  little  salt,  nutmeg, 
and  pepper.  If  you  have  oysters,  add  a  few.  Beat  two  eggs, 
and  put  all  together  with  fine  bread  crumbs  enough  to  compound 
them.  With  this,  stuff  the  fish,  which  should  be  floured  thick, 
and  wind  a  string  around  it  to  keep  it  together,  or  else  sew  it 
up.  Fasten  the  head  and  tail  together  with  a  skewer.  Bake 
it  in  a  stove  an  hour.  Baste  it  with  butter. 

To  Fry  Cod  (or  other  Fish). 

After  it  has  been  cleansed,  cut  it  into  pieces  of  the  proper 
size,  and  lay  them  in  a  cloth  in  order  to  dry  them.  Fry  four 
or  five  slices  of  salt  pork,  or  use  instead,  lard  or  nice  beef  drip- 
pings ;  but  pork  is  preferable.  When  the  slices  are  fried  crisp, 
take  them  out,  dip  the  pieces  of  fish  in  a  plate  of  fine  Indian 
meal,  and  lay  them  into  the  spider.  Fry  them  brown.  When 
the  fish  is  done,  lay  it  with  the  pork  into  a  hot  dish.  Pour  a 
little  water  into  the  spider,  boil  it  up,  dredge  in  browned  flour, 
and  pour  the  whole  over  the  fish. 

To  make  a  Chowder. 

Fry  three  slices  of  salt  pork,  crisp,  in  a  deep  kettle  ;  take 
them  out  and  lay  in  slices  of  potatoes ;  flour  and  pepper  them ; 
then  lay  in  slices  of  cod  or  haddock,  which  must  also  be  floured 


180  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

and  peppered.  Put  in  alternate  layers  of  potatoes  and  fish, 
with  flour,  salt,  and. pepper,  till  it  is  all  laid  in.  Pour  over  it 
boiling  water  enough  almost  to  cover  it.  When  it  boils  up, 
dredge  in  more  flour.  Dip  a  few  crackers  in  cold  water  and 
lay  over  the  top,  and  cover  the  kettle  close.  Boil  it  three  quar- 
ters of  an  hour.  Use  ship  bread,  if  it  is  preferred.  Some  peo- 
ple add  a  cup  of  milk  just  before  it  is  served.  Add  part  of  a 
fresh  lemon,  if  you  like. 

Marblehead  Chowder. 

Fry  three  or  four  slices  of  salt  pork,  soak  a  dozen  hard 
crackers,  cut  up  four  or  five  onions.  When  the  pork  is  fried 
brown  take  it  out,  and  lay  in  half  of  the  crackers,  and  half  the 
onions.  Cut  up  the  cod,  and  lay  the  pieces  next,  then  the  rest 
of  the  crackers  and  onions,  season  it  with  pepper  and  salt,  pour 
boiling  water  enough  into  the  kettle  to  cover  the  whole.  Let  it 
stew  moderately  an  hour. 

The  fish  should  be  fresh  from  the  water.  Cod's  heads  and 
sound  bones  make  the  richest  chowder. 

To  Boil  Salt  Cod. 

Lay  a  piece  of  salt  fish  into  the  cellar  a  few  days  before  it  is 
to  be  cooked,  that  it  may  become  softened  by  the  dampness. 
The  afternoon  before  it  is  to  be  boiled,  wash  it  carefully  in  sev- 
eral waters.  It  is  well  to  keep  a  brush  on  purpose  to  cleanse 
salt  fish,  and  use  it  repeatedly  while  it  is  soaking.  Leave  it  in 
water  till  morning,  and  then  put  it  into  a  kettle,  and  set  it  where 
it  will  keep  warm,  and  at  length  simmer,  but  not  boil.  Eat  it 
with  beets  and  potatoes,  and  drawn  butter ;  or  with  pork  scraps 
if  you  prefer. 

To  prepare  the  Scraps.  Cut  salt  pork  into  very  small  square 
pieces,  put  them  in  a  saucepan,  and  cook  them  till  they  are 
crisped.  A  quarter  of  a  pound  of  pork  will  be  enough  for  a 
family  of  five,  and  it  will  take  half  an  hour  to  fry  it  enough. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  quality  of  salt  fish.  The 
Dun  is  considered  best. 


MINCED    SALT   FISH,  FISH-BALLS,  ETC.  181 

Minced  Salt  Fish. 

Pick  out  all  the  bones  and  bits  of  skin  the  day  that  the  fish 
is  boiled,  as  it  is  most  easily  done  while  it  is  warm.  Next  day- 
chop  it  fine,  and  also  all  the  potatoes  left  of  the  previous  dinner ; 
they  are  better  for  this  purpose  than  those  that  are  just  boiled. 
Lay  three  or  four  slices  of  salt  pork  into  a  spider,  and  fry 
till  they  are  crisped ;  take  them  out,  and  put  the  chopped  fish 
and  potato  into  the  middle,  and  press  it  out  equally,  so  that  the 
fat  will  be  at  the  sides.  Cover  it  close ;  after  about  five  minutes 
put  into  the  centre  a  gill  of  milk,  and  cover  it  again.  In  a  few 
minutes  more  stir  it,  but  so  carefully  as  not  to  disturb  the  sides 
and  bottom,  else  a  brown  crust  will  not  form.  Add  more  milk 
if  it  is  too  dry.  When  thoroughly  heated  through,  stir  in  a  small 
piece  of  butter,  loosen  the  crust  from,  the  sides  with  a  knife,  and 
turn  it  out  upon  a  hot  dish.  If  it  is  done  right,  it  will  come  out 
whole,  and  nicely  browned. 

Fish-Balls. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  chopped  fish  and  potato,  enough  to 
nearly  fill  a  tray  of  medium  size.  Add  a  beaten  egg,  and  a 
table-spoonful  of  butter,  melted.  Mix  and  mash  well  with  a 
wooden  spoon.  Roll  the  balls  in  flour,  and  fry  them  with  salt 
pork  and  a  little  lard  or  beef  fat.  The  whole  surface  of  the 
balls  should  be  gradually  browned. 

To  Boil  or  Broil  Halibut 

If  you  wish  to  boil  it,  purchase  a  thick  slice  cut  through 
the  body,  or  the  tail  piece,  which  is  considered  the  richest.  Wrap 
it  in  a  floured  cloth,  and  lay  it  in  cold  water  with  salt  in  it.  A 
piece  weighing  six  pounds,  should  be  cooked  half  an  hour  after 
the  water  begins  to  boil.  It  is  eaten  with  drawn  butter  and 
parsley.  If  any  of  it  is  left,  lay  it  in  a  deep  dish  and  sprinkle  on 
it  a  little  salt,  throw  over  it  a  dozen  or  two  of  cloves,  pour 
in  some  vinegar,  and  add  butternut  vinegar  or  catsup.  It 
ivill,  when  cold,  have  much  the  flavor  of  lobster. 

The  nape  of  a  halibut  is  considered  best  to  broil ;  but  a  slice 
through  the  body  a  little  more  than  an  inch  thick,  if  sprinkled 


182  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

with  salt  an  hour  or  two  before  being  cooked,  will  broil  without 
breaking,  and  is  excellent.  When  taken  up,  put  on  butter,  pep- 
per, and  salt. 

To  Boil  Salmon. 

Clean  a  salmon  in  salt  and  water.  Allow  twenty  minutes  for 
boiling  every  pound.  Wrap  it  in  a  floured  cloth,  and  lay  it  in 
the  kettle  while  the  water  is  cold.  Make  the  water  very  salt. 
Skim  it  well ;  in  this  respect  it  requires  more  care  than  any 
other  fish.  Serve  it  with  drawn  butter  and  parsley. 

If  salmon  is  not  thoroughly  cooked  it  is  unhealthy.  When 
a  piece  of  boiled  fresh  fish  of  any  kind  is  left  of  dinner,  it  is  a 
very  good  way  to  lay  it  in  a  deep  dish,  and  pour  over  it  a  little 
vinegar,  with  catsup,  and  add  pepper  or  any  other  spice  which 
is  preferred. 

To  Broil  Salmon, 

Cut  it  in  slices  an  inch  and  a  half  thick,  dry  it  in  a  clean  cloth, 
salt  it,  and  lay  it  upon  a  hot  gridiron,  the  bars  having  been  rub- 
bed with  lard  or  drippings.  It  cooks  very  well  in  a  stove  oven, 
laid  in  a  dripping-pan. 

To  Broil  Shad. 

Procure  fresh  caught  shad.  It  requires  twenty  minutes  to 
broil,  on  moderately  hot  coals.  To  turn  it,  see  Directions 
respecting  Fish.  Sprinkle  it  with  salt,  and  spread  on  a 
little  butter.  Fresh  fish  requires  a  longer  tune  to  broil  than 
meat. 

Boasted  Oysters. 

Take  them,  unopened,  rinse  the  shells  clean,  and  lay  them 
on  hot  coals,  or  the  top  of  a  cooking-stove,  with  the  deepest  side 
of  the  shell  down,  so  as  not  to  lose  the  liquor.  When  they  be- 
gin to  open  a  little,  they  are  done,  and  the  upper  shell  will  be 
easily  removed  with  a  knife,  and  the  oyster  is  to  be  eaten  from 
the  lower  shell.  Some  persons  prefer  to  have  roast  oysters 
laid  on  buttered  toast. 


CUTLETS   OF    SALMON.  —  OYSTER   PIE.  183 

Baked  Shad. 

Lay  the  fish  into  water  a  little  warm,  for  half  an  hour ; 
then  scrape  off  the  scales  ;  cut  it  open  down  the  back,  and 
remove  the  inwards.  Wash  thoroughly.  Make  a  stuffing  of 
pieces  of  bread  and  butter  sprinkled  with  salt,  pepper,  and 
parsley.  Stuff  it  full,  and  sew  it  up.  Skewer  the  head  and 
tail  together,  and  lay  it  in  a  deep  dish.  Flour  it  well. 
Fasten  several  small  slices  of  pork  on  it  with  skewers,  or  rub 
it  over  with  butter  when  half  cooked.  If  qnough  moisture 
does  not  bake  out  of  the  fish  to  baste  it,  put  a  little  hot  wa- 
ter into  the  dish.  Baste  it  two  or  three  times.  Bake  it  an 
hour.  It  should  be  well  browned.  Put  bits  of  parsley  on 
the  fish  when  it  is  sent  to  the  table. 

Cutlets  of  Salmon    (English). 

Cut  salmon  in  slices  not  quite  an  inch  thick ;  wipe  them- 
dry,  sprinkle  with  salt  and  flour,  then  dip  them  in  beaten 
egg,  and  then  in  sifted  cracker-crumbs.  Fry  in  butter  in  a 
spider.  Take  care  they  do  not  burn.  Cook  them  moderately 
until  nicely  browned. 

Oyster  Pie. 

Line  a  deep  dish  that  will  hold  rather  more  than  a  quart, 
with  a  good  pie-crust  nearly  half  an  inch  thick.  Strain 
the  liquor  from  a  quart  of  oysters.  Put  in  the  bottom  of  the 
dish  a  layer  of  fine  cracker  or  bread  crumbs  j  then  add  the  oys- 
ters, with  bits  of  butter  and  mace,  a  little  pepper  and  salt,  and 
a  part  of  the  liquor.  The  liquor  should  fill  the  dish  only  about 
one-half.  Over  the  oysters  put  another  layer  of  fine  crumbs, 
and  cover  with  pie-crust.  Cut  an  opening  in  the  top  of  the 
crust,  and  ornament  with  leaves  of  pastry.  Bake  about  an 
hour.  Brown  gradually.  Serve  the  pie  hot. 

A  pie  containing  a  pint,  or  a  pint  and  a  half  of  oysters,  is 
large  enough  for  a  family  of  two  or  three. 


184  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Oyster  Pie. 

Make  a  nice  paste  and  lay  into  a  deep  dish,  turn  a  teacup 
down  in  the  centre.  This  will  draw  the  liquor  under  it,  and 
prevent  it  from  boiling  over ;  it  also  keeps  the  upper  crust  from 
falling  in  and  becoming  clammy.  Lay  in  the  oysters,  add  a  lit- 
tle pepper,  butter,  and  flour ;  make  a  wide  incision  in  the  upper 
crust,  so  that  when  the  pie  is  nearly  done,  you  can  pour  in  half 
a  teacup  of  cream  or  milk.  Secure  the  edges  of  the  crust 
according  to  the»directions  for  making  Pastry,  and  bake  it  an 
hour.  It  should  be  put  into  the  oven  immediately,  else  the 
under  crust  will  be  clammy.  Use  but  little  of  the  liquor. 

To  Fry  Oysters. 

Lay  them  in  a  cloth  a  few  minutes  to  dry  them ;  then  dip 
each  one  in  beaten  egg,  and  then  into  sifted  cracker-crumbs, 
and  fry  in  just  enough  fat  to  brown  them.  Put  pepper  and 
salt  on  them  before  you  turn  them  over. 

Escaloped  Oysters. 

Butter  a  deep  dish,  and  cover  the  bottom  and  sides  with  fine 
crumbs  of  bread.  Put  in  half  the  oysters,  with  pounded  mace, 
pepper,  and  salt,  and  cover  them  with  bread  crumbs  and  small 
bits  of  butter ;  add  the  rest  of  the  oysters  with  pepper  and 
mace,  and  cover  as  before.  Put  in  but  little  of  the  liquor,  as 
oysters  part  with  a  good  deal  of  moisture  in  cooking,  and  if  the 
mixture  is  too  wet,  it  is  not  a~s  good.  Bake  a  quart  of  oysters 
half  an  hour.  A  plainer  dish,  with  little  butter  and  no  spice  is 
very  good. 

Pickled  Oysters. 

Boil  the  liquor  of  an  hundred  oysters  and  pour  it  over  them. 
When  they  have  stood  a  few  minutes,  take  them  out  and  boil 
the  liquor  again,  with  a  gill  of  vinegar,  a  few  whole  black  pep- 
pers, and  two  or  three  blades  of  mace.  "When  this  is  cold,  pour 
it  over  the  oysters,  and  cover  them  closely.  This  is  a  very 
good  way  to  keep  them. 


STEAMED   OYSTERS.  —  OYSTERS   RAW,   ETC.  185 

Steamed  Oysters. 

Put  a  peck  of  oysters  (or  less,  according  to  the  family)  into 
a  steamer,  and  steam  till  they  open.  Eat  them  from  the 
shell,  with  vinegar  and  pepper,  or  put  them  for  two  or  three 
minutes  into  a  saucepan,  and  stir  in  a  bit  of  butter. 

Oysters  Raw. 

Wash  the  shells  very  thoroughly,  and  wipe  them  dry. 
Open  them,  and  remove  the  upper  shell,  but  leave  the  under 
shell  with  the  oyster  in  it.  Place  the  oysters  thus  prepared 
on  a  dish,  with  one  or  two  lemons  cut  in  halves,  and  serve. 
They  should  be  eaten  with  salt,  pepper,  and  lemon-juice. 

Plain  Stewed. 

Boil  one  quart  of  oysters  for  three  minutes.  Then  pour 
them  into  a  hot  dish,  upon  pieces  of  toast  buttered.  Sprin 
kle  pepper  over  them. 

Stewed  Oysters,  Another  Way. 

Boil  a  pint  of  milk  ;  rub  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  smooth  in 
cold  milk,  and  strain  into  it ;  then  strain  in  the  liquor  of  a 
quart  of  oysters,  and,  when  it  boils  up  again,  add  half  a  spoon- 
ful of  butter,  a  little  salt,  and  the  oysters,  and  let  the  whole 
boil  two  minutes  more,  or  until  the  oysters  begin  to  curl. 

Curried  Oysters. 

Put  the  liquor  of  one  quart  of  oysters  into  a  stew-pan. 
Add  a  little  hot  water  if  there  is  not  much  liquor.  Rub  a 
large  spoonful  of  butter  into  one  of  flour.  When  the  liquor 
boils  up,  stir  this  in,  and  also  two  or  three  teaspoonfuls  of 
curry-powder.  (Some  cooks  put  in,  also,  the  milk  of  a  cocoa* 
nut  and  the  juice  of  lemon ;  but  this  is  not  necessary.) 
Lastly  add  the  oysters,  and,  when  they  have  boiled  one  or 
two  minutes,  take  them  up  in  a  deep  dish,  and  serve  rice  with 
them  on  another  dish  prepared  as  directed  for  curries. 


186  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Oyster  Patties. 

Line  small  patty-pans  with  a  nice  crust.  When  cool,  turn 
them  out  upon  a  dish.  Stew  a  pint  of  large  oysters  one  or 
two  minutes  in  their  own  liquor,  with  a  heaping  teaspoon- 
ful  of  butter,  two  blades  of  mace,  and  some  lemon-juice. 
Dredge  in  a  little  flour.  Take  them  up,  and  set  them  where 
they  will  become  cool.  Then  put  two  or  three  oysters  in  each 
puff,  and  serve.  Omit  the  lemon-juice,  if  you  choose.  If  the 
patties  are  to  be  eaten  hot,  stew  as  above,  and  bake  covers  of 
paste  on  tins.  Put  the  oysters  hot,  into  the  puffs,  place  over 
them  the  covers,  fresh  from  the  oven,  and  serve. 

Lobsters    (to  select  and  open). 

Buy  those  that  have  been  boiled  but  a  few  hours.  The 
heaviest,  whether  large  or  small,  are  best.  Lobsters  are 
sweet  and  tender  early  in  the  spring,  and  are  good  until  Sep- 
tember. In  opening  them,  care  must  be  taken  to  remove  the 
poisonous  part.  This  lies  in  the  head,  all  of  which  must  be 
thrown  away,  as  well  as  the  vein  which  passes  from  it  through 
the  body.  All  the  other  parts  are  good.  Break  the  shells 
with  a  hammer,  and  cut  open  the  body  on  the  under  side 
with  a  sharp  knife.  Carefully  examine  the  tomally,  or 
green  fat,  to  see  that  there  is  none  of  the  poison  vein  in  it. 
If  you  are  going  to  stew  the  lobster,  or  make  salad,  save  the 
liquor  to  mix  with  the  meat. 

To  Serve  Lobster.    The  Simplest  Way. 

Prepare  the  lobster  as  above.  Put  it  on  a  platter :  the 
meat  from  the  body  in  the  centre,  and  that  of  the  large  claws 
at  each  end  of  the  dish.  Arrange  some  of  the  small  claws 
around  the  edge.  Garnish  with  parsley  or  lettuce-leaves,  and 
serve  with  vinegar,  mustard,  and  pepper. 

Curried  Lobster. 

Put  into  a  stew-pan  a  cup  of  veal  or  other  meat  stock,  or  a 
cup  of  water.  Boil  this  with  a  blade  of  mace  and  a  little 


TO  OPEN  CLAMS.  —  CLAM  CHOWDER,  ETC.        187 

salt,  five  minutes.  Have  ready  one  spoonful  of  butter,  a 
spoonful  of  flour,  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of  curry-powder,  all 
rubbed  together  till  smooth.  Add  this  to  the  gravy  or  water, 
aud  also  a  few  spoonfuls  of  cream.  Stir  till  well  mixed,  then 
lay  in  the  meat  of  one  lobster  cut  small,  and  simmer  gently 
five  minutes,  and  then  serve.  Squeeze  in  some  lemon-juice 
before  taking  up,  if  you  choose. 

To  Open  Clams. 

After  washing  them  thoroughly,  pour  boiling  water  over, 
and  let  them  stand  a  while.  The  shells  will  open  easily. 

Clam  Chowder  (of  long  clams). 

Fry'  in  a  deep  kettle  two  large  slices  of  fat  pork.  Add 
three  large  potatoes,  sliced  thin,  and  two  quarts  of  hot  water. 
Boil  until  the  potatoes  are  not  sufficiently  done  to  break; 
then  put  in  pilot-bread,  half  a  pint  of  milk,  a  piece  of  but- 
ter large  as  an  egg,  a  little  salt  and  pepper.  When  it  again 
boils  up,  add  a  pint  of  clams,  with  their  liquor.  Boil  one  or 
two  minutes,  and  serve. 

Another  Clam  Chowder. 

Boil  a  peck  of  clams  in  a  quart  of  water.  When  the  shells 
open,  take  out  the  meat ;  strain  the  water,  and  boil  in  it  six 
potatoes,  sliced.  Slice  an  onion,  and  fry  in  pork.  When  the 
potatoes  are  nearly  done,  add  the  onion,  a  few  crackers 
soaked  in  milk,  salt,  pepper,  a  spoonful  of  butter,  and,  lastly, 
the  clams.  Add  milk,  if  too  thick.  Boil  fifteen  minutes 
longer,  and  then  serve. 

Scallops  Stewed  or  Fried. 

Boil  scallops  five  minutes  in  their  own  liquor.  Then  add, 
for  one  quart  of  scallops,  a  pint  of  milk.  Boil  them  in  this 
three  or  four  minutes  more;  then  add  a  spoonful  of  flour 
rubbed  smooth  in  a  spoonful  of  butter ;  stir  it  well ;  add  a 
little  pepper.  Boil  up  once,  after  putting  in  the  flour  and 
butter.  They  will  cook  a  little  more  easily  if  cut  in  two.  It 
is  a  nice  way  to  roll  them  in  Indian  meal  or  crumbs,  and  fry 
in  a  buttered  spider. 


188  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Clams  Escaloped. 

Prepare  them  like  oysters,  using  pepper  instead  of  mace, 
and  covering  the  dish  with  thin  slices  of  bread,  buttered,  and 
sprinkled  with  pepper. 

Clams  are  very  palatable  stewed  like  scallops  or  oysters., 

Fried  Eels. 

Skin  and  clean  them  well ;  cut  them  in  pieces  three  inches 

long ;  boil  them  in  milk  and  water  with  a  little  salt  in  it. 
When  a  fork  goes  into  them  easily,  dip  them  in  bread-crumbs 
or  fine  meal,  and  fry  in  lard  or  pork. 

Stewed  Eels. 

Skin  and  wash  them,  and  wipe  dry.  Cut  in  pieces ;  sprinkle 
with  flour,  salt,  and  pepper.  Brown  them  in  pork-fat,  with 
onion  cut  fine,  and  put  into  the  fat  first.  Pour  over  boiling 
water  just  enough  to  simmer  them,  and  dredge  in  flour  if 
there  is  not  sufficient.  Cover  closely,  and  cook  fifteen  min- 
utes. 

Perch. 

Dress  and  fry  like  smelts ;  but  fry  them  a  longer  time. 

Pickerel. 

Bake  like  shad,  or  cut  in  pieces,  and  fry  like  cod  in  pork 
or  lard. 

Boiled  Mackerel. 

If  not  dressed  when  they  come  to  you,  cut  them  down  the 
stomach  a  little  way,  and  take  out  the  inwards.  Wash  them, 
sprinkle  with  salt,  roll  them  in  a  cloth  separately,  and  boil 
gently  for  twenty  minutes. 

Serve  with  drawn  butter. 

Broiled  Mackerel  (Fresh). 

Open  it  down  the  back ;  wash,  and  sprinkle  salt  over,  and 
let  it  lie  for  an  hour.  Grease  the  gridiron.  Lay  the  skin 
side  down  first.  The  fire  should  not  be  so  hot  as  to  scorch. 
Turn  once  or  twice,  and  allow  fifteen  minutes  to  broil.  Lay 
on  a  hot  dish,  and  put  on  shavings  of  butter. 

The  wire  gridirons  are  most  convenient  for  broiling  fish,  as 
they  are  turned  without  using  a  knife  and  fork. 


FISH BAKED    BASS,   ETC.  189 

Baked  Bass. 

Make  a  stuffing  of  pounded  cracker  or  crumbs  of  bread,  an 
egg,  pepper,  clove,  salt,  and  butter.  Fill  it  very  full,  and  when 
sewed  up,  grate  over  it  a  small  nutmeg,  and  sprinkle  it  with 
pounded  cracker.  Then  pour  on  the  white  of  an  egg,  and 
melted  butter.  Bake  it  an  hour  in  the  same  dish  in  which  it  is 
to  be  served. 

Potted  Shad  (a  ver7  convenient  and  excellent  dish). 

Take  three  or  four  fresh  caught  shad,  and  when  nicely 
dressed,  cut  them  down  the  middle,  and  across  in  pieces  about 
three  inches  wide ;  put  these  pieces  into  a  jar  in  layers,  with 
salt,  whole  cloves,  pepper-corns,  and  allspice  sprinkled  between. 
When,  all  is  laid  in,  put  in  sharp  vinegar  enough  just  to  cover 
them, and  bake  in  the  oven.  It  is  the  best  way  to  put  the  jar 
into  a  brick  oven  after  the  bread  is  drawn,  if  considerable  heat 
still  remains,  and  let  it  stand  two  or  three  hours,  or  put  it  into 
a  range  oven  at  night,  to  stand  till  morning.  This  will  keep 
several  weeks,  even  in  hot  weather.  Almost  any  fish  of 
the  size  of  shad  may  be  done  in  the  same  way. 

Brook  Trout. 

If  they  are  small,  fry  them  with  salt  pork.  If  large,  boil 
them,  and  serve  with  drawn  butter. 

Round  Clams,  or  Quahogs. 

The  round  clams,  sometimes  called  quahogs,  are  much  the 
most  healthy.  The  small  ones,  with  thin  edges,  are  to  be  pre- 
ferred. They  may  be  roasted  upon  a  gridiron,  or  laid  in  an 
iron  pan  upon  a  stove.  When  the  shell  begins  to  open,  pour 
the  liquor  into  a  sauce-pan,  and  cut  the  clam  from  the  shell  and 
put  with  it.  When  all  are  taken  out,  set  the  sauce-pan  on  the 
coals,  and  when  the  clams  boil  up,  add  pepper  and  a  bit  of  but' 
ter,  and  pour  them  upon  toasted  bread. 

Clam  broth  is  made  by  washing  them  very  clean,  and  boil- 
ing till  the  shells  open;  then  take  out  the  clams  and  put 


190  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

them  into  the  water  again.  Boil  them  a  few  minutes,  add 
a  little  butter  and  flour,  and  put  toasted  crackers  in  the  tureen 
into  which  you  put  the  broth.  This  is  very  healthy  for  feeble 
persons. 

Smelts. 

Soak  smelts  a  little  while  in  warm  water ;  scrape  them,  and 
cut  the  heads  so  far  that  you  can  gently  pull  them  off,  and  thus 
draw  out  the  dark  vein  that  runs  through  the  body ;  then  rinse 
and  lay  them  into  a  dry  cloth  while  you  fry  two  or  three  slices 
of  salt  pork  crisp.  Dip  the  smelts  into  a  plate  of  fine  Indian 
meal,  and  fry  them  brown.  If  you  fry  them  in  lard  or  drip- 
pings, sprinkle  them  with  salt,  but  not  until  they  are  nearly 
done,  as  they  will  not  brown  as  well,  if  it  is  put  on  at  first. 

To  prepare  Salt  Shad,  Mackerel,  or  Halibut's  Fin  to  Broil. 

Shad  should  be  soaked  twenty-four  hours,  the  water  being 
changed  once  or  twice.  Mackerel  often  need  soaking  thirty,  or 
even  thirty-six  hours;  and  halibut's  fin  thirty-six.  A  gallon 
of  water  is  the  least  in  which  either  of  them  should  be  soaked. 
Grease  the  gridiron,  and  lay  the  skin  side  down.  (See  Direc- 
tions at  the  head  of  this  chapter.) 

Smoked  Halibut  or  Salmon. 

Wash  and  lay  it  in  a  dish  of  cold  water  over  night,  with 
the  flesh  side  down ;  wipe  dry,  and  lay  it  on  a  gridiron  over 
a  moderate  fire;  turn  it  after  a  little  time.  It  will  cook 
through  in  ten  minutes.  Or,  butter  a  tin  kept  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  cook  it  in  the  range  or  stove  half  an  hour. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    SALTINQ    MEAT, 
FISH,    &G. 

To  some  young  housekeepers,  the  salting  of  meat,  and  taking 
eare  of  it,  and  of  smoked  meat,  are  perplexing.     Perhaps  the 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    SALTING   MEAT,    ETC.  191 

following  directions  may  .assist  them.  The  best  pieces  to  corn 
are  the  end  of  the  rump,  the  thin  end  of  the  sirloin,  and  the 
edge-bone.  If  you  like  it  with  alternate  streaks  of  fat  and  lean, 
the  pieces  at  the  ends  of  the  ribs,  called  by  butchers  the  rattle- 
ran,  are  very  good.  The  edge-bone  affords  the  most  lean  meat. 

The  best  piece  of  pork  to  corn  is  the  shoulder.  It  is  a  good 
way  to  divide  it,  if  large,  and  stuff  half  of  it  with  sage  and  bread 
crumbs,  and  roast  it ;  and  corn  the  other  half. 

In  winter,  hang  fresh  killed  meat  up  two  or  three  days  be- 
fore putting  it  into  brine,  as  it  will  thus  become  more  tender. 
Make  a  brine  of  four  quarts  of  water,  three  pints  of  salt,  half  a 
table-spoonful  of  saltpetre,  and  a  pint  of  molasses,  or  a  pound 
of  coarse  brown  sugar.  Mix  it  thoroughly  without  boiling  it. 
In  this  lay  the  meat,  and  see  that  it  is  entirely  covered.  It  is 
well  to  look  at  it  after  a  day  or  two,  and  if  necessary,  turn  it 
the  other  side  up.  It  will  be  good  in  a  few  days,  but  it  is  better 
to  let  it  lie  three  or  four  weeks  before  boiling  it.  The  same 
brine  will  do  for  many  successive  pieces  in  winter.  But  for  a 
family  that  like  salt  meat,  it  is  the  best  way  to  make  a  double 
measure,  and  put  into  it  at  once  as  much  meat  as  it  will  cover. 
It  should  be  kept  in  a  firkin  or  tub,  with  a  close  cover. 

After  a  considerable  quantity  of  meat  has  thus  been  cured, 
scald  and  skim  the  brine,  add  a  little  more  molasses,  salt,  and 
saltpetre,  and  let  it  become  cold  before  meat  is  put  into  it. 

A  brine  like  this,  only  a  little  more  rich  with  molasses,  is 
very  good  for  salting  tongues,  and  pieces  that  are  to  be  smoked. 
But  they  should  lie  in  it  four  or  five  weeks.  Meat  should 
never  be  salted  for  smoking,  later  than  February  or  the  middle 
of  March.* 

In  warm  weather,  it  will  not  do  to  use  the  same  brine  more 
than  once,  as  the  blood  from  the  meat  will  become  tainted. 
Therefore  a  less  expensive  mixture,  that  may  be  thrown  away 
after  being  used  once,  is  better.  Two  quarts  of  salt  to  four  of 
water,  is  a  good  rule  for  brine  in  hot  weather. 

In  the  summer,  the  strong  membrane  that  covers  the  rib 
bones,  must  be  cut  open  with  a  sharp  knife  before  the  meat  is 


192  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

put  into  brine ;  for,  as  the  salt  will-  not  penetrate  this  mem- 
brane, the  bones  will  else  become  tainted,  and  the  meat  soon  be 
spoiled.  Meat,  at  this  season,  should  be  cooked  within  three  or 
four  days  after  being  put  into  brine. 

To  Salt  Pork. 

Allow  a  bushel  of  salt  for  a  barrel  of  pork,  or  a  peck  for  fifty 
weight.  The  salt  called  coarse-fine,  is  commonly  used  by 
butchers  ;  but  the  best  way  in  a  private  family,  where  no  more 
than  twenty-five  or  fifty  weight  is  put  down  for  the  year's  use, 
is  to  use  fine  salt.  Put  water  enough  to  cover  it.  Examine  it 
in  a  few  days,  and  if  the  salt  is  all  dissolved,  add  more.  The 
only  sure  way  of  keeping  pork  sweet,  is  to  have  the  brine  so 
strong  that  some  of  the  salt  remains  undissolved.  A  board, 
with  a  stone  upon  it,  should  always  be  kept  on  the  top  of  pork, 
as  it  will  soon  become  rusty  if  the  edges  lie  above  the  surface 
of  the  brine. 

It  is  not  fit  for  use,  until  it  has  been  in  brine  six  weeks. 

Pickle  for  one  Ham. 

To  a  gallon  of  water,  put  a  pint  of  salt,  a  pint  of  molasses, 
and  an  ounce  of  saltpetre.  Turn  the  ham  over  in  the  brine 
often,  and  let  it  He  in  it  six  weeks ;  then  let  it  be  smoked  nearly 
as  long. 

To  Cure  Hams. 

[This  receipt  is  furnished  by  a  person  whose  hams  are  cele- 
brated in  the  eastern  part  of  Massachusetts,  for  their  superior 
quality.  ] 

For  curing  fifty  weight,  allow  three  quarts  of  coarse  salt,  half 
a  pound  of  saltpetre,  and  two  quarts  of  good  molasses.  Add 
soft  water  enough  just  to  cover  the  hams.  Common  sized  hams 
should  be  kept  in  this  pickle  five  weeks  ;  larger  ones  six. 
They  should  all  be  taken  out  once  a  week,  and  those  which 
were  on  the  top  laid  in  first,  and  the  lower  ones  last,  They 
should  be  smoked  from  two  to  three  weeks  with  walnut  wood  or 


KNICKERBOCKER   PICKLE TO    MAKE    SAUSAGES        193 

with  sawdust  and  corn-cobs,  mixed.     Meat  smoked  with  cobs  is 
very  delicate. 

Pieces  of  beef  for  smoking,  may  be  laid  in  this  pickle,  after 
the  hams  are  sent  to  the  smoke  house ;  but  more  salt  should  be 
added. 

The  Knickerbocker  Pickle,  for  Hams  and  Bee£ 

To  three  gallons  of  soft  water,  put  four  pounds  and  a  half  of 
salt,  coarse  and  fine,  mixed  ;  a  pound  and  a  half  of  brown  sugar, 
an  ounce  and  a  half  of  saltpetre,  half  an  ounce  of  saleratus,  and 
two  quarts  of  good  molasses. 

Boil  the  mixture,  skim  it  well,  and  when  cold  pour  it  over 
the  hams  or  beef.  Beef  laid  down  in  this  pickle,  does  not  be- 
come hard,  and  is  very  fine,  when  boiled  gently  and  long. 

Some  persons  consider  this  the  best  of  all  methods  for  curing 
beef  and  hams. 

Another  way  for  curing  Hams  and  Beef-tongues. 

Allow  for  one  gallon  of  water  a  pound  and  a  half  of  salt, 
half  a  pound  of  brown  sugar,  half  an  ounce  of  saltpetre,  and 
half  an  ounce  of  potash.  Boil  all  together,  and  skim  very 
thoroughly.  Take  meat  that  has  been  killed  two  days,  and 
sprinkled  slightly  with  a  little  fine  saltpetre,  and,  when  the 
pickle  is  cold,  pour  it  over  the  meat,  which  should  be  perfectly 
covered.  Let  it  remain  four  or  five  weeks,  standing  in  a  cold 
place.  Do  this  only  in  cold  weather. 

How  to  keep  Hams  through  the  Summer. 

When  they  are  taken  from  the  smoke  house,  do  not  suffer 
them  to  lie  a  single  hour  where  the  flies  can  find  them.  Sew 
them  up  in  a  coarse  cloth  or  stiff  brown  paper,  and  pack  them 
in  ashes.  There  is  no  method  so  sure  to  preserve  them  from 
insects,  and  the  effect  of  the  ashes  is  to  improve  the  meat ;  but 
care  should  be  taken  that  the  hams  are  so  secured  that  the  ashes 
will  not  touch  them.  The  ashes  should  be  perfectly  cold  and 
dry,  and  the  barrel  be  in  a  dry,  cool  place. 


194  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

To  Corn  Beef  (to  boil  within  two  or  three  days). 

If  a  lean  piece  is  desired,  take  three  or  four  pounds,  or  more, 
according  to  the  size  of  your  family,  from  the  back  of  the 
rump.  Kub  the  meat  well  with  fine  salt,  and  let  it  lie  a  few 
hours ;  then  add  cold  water  just  to  cover  it,  and  sprinkle  in 
three  or  four  spoonfuls  of  salt.  The  thin  end  of  the  sirloin 
is  good  corned.  If  you  like  some  fat,  take  a  piece  of  the 
rattle-ran.  This  is  cheaper.  Salted  beef  should  be  boiled 
long.  A  piece  weighing  five  pounds  should  boil  slowly  four 
hours,  and  then  be  laid  in  a  dish  with  a  heavy  weight  on  it. 

See  directions  for  salting  meat. 

Corned  Beef  with  Baked  Beans. 

Those  who  object  to  baked  beans  on  account  of  the  pork 
commonly  used  will  find  it  a  good  way  to  substitute  corned 
beef  for  the  pork. 

Corned  Pork. 

Take  a  leg  weighing  six  or  eight  pounds,  or  a  part  of  a 
large  leg,  put  it  for  a  week  or  ten  days  in  strong  salt  and 
water.  Before  boiling  it,  lay  it  for  an  hour  in  cold  water, 
then  boil  it  gently  two  and  a  half  or  three  hours.  Skim  it 
several  times.  To  give  it  a  delicate  appearance,  boil  it  in  a 
nice  floured  cloth.  Best  eaten  cold. 

To  make  Sausages. 

A  common  fault  is,  that  the  meat  is  not  chopped  enough.  It 
should  be  chopped  very  fine,  and  this  is  most  easily  done  if  it  is 
a  little  frozen.  When  ready  for  the  seasoning,  put  in  just  cold 
water  enough  to  enable  you  to  mix  the  ingredients  equally ; 
but  be  careful  not  to  use  more  than  is  ne€essary  for  this  pur- 
pose. 

The  following  excellent  rule  for  seasoning  sausages  ,is  fur- 
nished by  the  same  person  whose  receipt  for  curing  hams  I 
have  been  allowed  to  copy. 

To  twelve  pounds  and  a  half  of  meat  put  a  gill  of  fine  salt,  a 
large  gill  of  powdered  sage,  and  half  a  gill  of  ground  pepper 
Let  the  measures  be  exact. 


HOW   TO   SALT   SHAD   TO   KEEP  A   YEAR.  195 

Some  persons  find  it  most  convenient  to  keep  sausage  meat 
in  a  cloth.  It  is  done  by  making  a  long  bag  of  strong  cotton 
cloth,  of  such  a  size  that,  when  filled,  it  will  be  as  large  round 
as  a  common  half  pint  mug.  It  should  be  crowded  full,  and 
each  end  tied  up.  If  you  have  not  a  sausage-filler,  it  can  be 
filled  with  the  hand.  Sew  up  only  a  quarter  of  a  yard,  then  fill 
it  tight,  so  far ;  then  sew  another  quarter,  and  fill  it,  and  so  on 
until  you  reach  the  end.  When  the  meat  is  to  be  used,  open 
one  end,  rip  up  the  seam  a  little  way,  and  cut  off  slices  rather 
more  than  an  inch  thick,  and  fry  them.  It  may  be  kept  good 
from  December  to  March,  in  a  cold,  dry  place.  Dip  the  bag  in 
strong  salt  and  water,  and  dry  it,  before  filling  it. 

How  to  salt  Shad  to  keep  a  Year. 

Procure  those  which  are  just  caught ;  soak  them  an  hour  or 
two  in  a  plenty  of  water,  in  order  that  the  scales  may  be  easily 
taken  off.  Take  care  to  remove  them  all.  Cut  off  the  heads 
and  open  them  down  the  back.  When  you  have  taken  out  all 
the  refuse  parts,  remove  the  greatest  part  of  the  spine,  as  the 
fish  will  be  more  sure  to  keep  sweet.  A  sharp  knife  is  indis- 
pensable. Lay  them  in  fresh  water  with  a  good  deal  of  salt  in 
it  for  an  hour  or  two,  in  order  to  extract  the  blood.  Then  take 
them  out,  and  sprinkle  them  plentifully  with  fine  salt,  taking 
care  that  it  touches  all  the  ends  and  edges.  If  most  convenient, 
let  them  lie  over  night.  In  the  morning,  mingle  an  ounce  of 
saltpetre  and  a  pound  of  sugar  with  a  peck  of  coarse-fine  salt, 
and  put  a  layer  of  salt,  and  a  layer  of  fish  (the  skin  being  down), 
into  the  firkin.  A  peck  of  salt  will  cure  twenty-five  shad. 

To  try  Lard. 

The  fat  should  not  be  suffered  to  stand  long  without  being 
tried,  because,  even  in  cold  weather,  some  parts  of  it  may  soon 
become  musty,  and  nothing  can  then  restore  its  sweetness.  Re- 
move all  the  lean  bits,  as  they  will  adhere  to  the  kettle,  and 
cause  the  fat  to  burn.  Cut  it  into  pieces  a  little  more  than  an 
inch  square,  and  take  care  to  have  them  nearly  of  a  size.  Put 


196  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

a  little  water  into  the  kettle,  and  keep  a  steady,  good  fire,  with- 
out much  blaze,  and  stir  the  fat  often.  Attention  to  the  kettle 
and  the  fire  will  be  necessary,  through  the  process.  It  will  re- 
quire three  hours  to  do  it.  When  the  fat  no  longer  bubbles,  but 
is  still,  it  is  done  enough.  It  is  best  to  squeeze  it  through  a  tow 
cloth  bag,  made  by  folding  half  a  square  in  such  a  way  that 
the  corner  will  form  the  end,  and  it  should  be  rounded  off  a  lit- 
tle at  the  bottom,  and  the  seam  made  exactly  as  directed  for  a 
pudding-bag.  Two  pieces  of  wood  fastened  together,  somewhat 
like  a  lemon-squeezer,  will  facilitate  the  process  of  straining  it. 
Strain  all  that  flows  off  without  much  pressure  into  one  jar,  and 
that  wrhich  is  extracted  last,  into  another.  There  is  no  advan- 
tage in  putting  salt  into  lard.  It  does  not  mingle  with  it,  as 
appears  by  its  being  always  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  kettle, 
undissolved.  Stone  jars  are  best  for  keeping  lard,  but  potter's 
ware  does  very  well.  It  should  stand  in  a  cold  place,  arid  in 
warm  weather,  a  fire-place  with  a  close  board,  in  a  cool  room,  is 
a  very  good  place  to  keep  it. 

Scraps  are  a  favorite  dish  with  many  persons.  Put  salt,  pep- 
per, and  pulverized  sage  to  them,  while  they  are  still  warm, 
break  them  small,  and  stir  them  well  that  the  seasoning  may  be 
equally  distributed. 

TOMATOES. 

Stewed. 

Scald  them  in  order  to  remove  the  skins.  Cat  them  up 
and  put  them  into  a  saucepan,  with  a  little  salt,  a  bit  of  butter, 
and  some  fine  crumbs  of  bread  or  pounded  cracker.  Let  them 
stew  gently  an  hour ;  if  you  like  them  sweet,  add  sugar  ten 
minutes  before  serving. 

Ba&ed. 

Butter  a  dish,  and  when  you  have  skinned  the  tomatoes  lay 
them  in  it,  whole.  Sprinkle  salt  and  sugar  over  them,  and  then 
fine  crumbs  of  bread  or  pounded  cracker.  Bake  them  forty 
minutes  in  a  dish  in  which  they  may  be  put  upon  the  table. 


TOMATOES  —  BOILED,   PRESERVED,    ETC.  197 

When  they  are  half  baked,  dip  the  syrup  over  the  top,  so  as 
to  moisten  the  crumbs,  and  put  over  them  a  few  bits  of  butter. 

Broiled. 

Cut  them  in  two,  and  lay  them  skin  side  down  upon  the 
gridiron.  They  will  not  break,  and  will  require  six  or  seven 
minutes  to  cook  through.  When  laid  in  the  dish,  add  salt 
and  butter,  and  also  pepper  if  you  prefer.  May  be  cooked  in 
a  spider  with  a  little  butter. 

Like  Cucumbers. 

Take  fair  fruit.  The  small  kind,  called  love-apples,  are  the 
best  for  this  use.  Take  off  the  skins,  slice  them,  sprinkle  salt 
over  them,  add  vinegar  (rather  less  than  for  cucumbers),  and 
put  on  pepper. 

Preserved. 

Having  skinned  them,  weigh  equal  quantities  of  fruit  and 
sugar.  Let  the  tomatoes  lie  upon  a  hair  sieve  a  little  while,  in 
order  that  some  of 'the  juice  may  drain  out.  Then  lay  them 
carefully,  so  as  not  to  spoil  the  shape,  into  a  stone  jar,  in  alter- 
nate layers  with  the  sugar.  Allow  one  lemon  for  every  four 
pounds  of  fruit,  and  lay  slices  of  lemon  between  each  layer  of 
fruit.  Cover  the  jar  close,  and  set  it  in  a  kettle  of  cold  water, 
where  it  will  boil  moderately,  but  constantly,  many  hours  —  all 
day  if  possible.  See  that  the  water  comes  up  high  enough 
around  the  jar,  and  also  that  none  of  it  boils  into  the  top.  When 
it  is  boiled  enough,  let  the  jar  stand  until  the  water  has  in  a 
measure  cooled,  as  it  may  be  broken  by  being  taken  at  once  out 
of  boiling  water. 

Soup. 

Take  two  quarts  of  rich  beef-soup ;  remove  the  fat,  and 
add  an  onion.  Cut  small,  tomatoes  enough  to  make  three 
pints ;  stew  them  until  they  can  easily  be  strained  through  a 
sieve  or  colander,  and  add  to  the  soup.  Put  in  salt 
and  a  little  pepper,  and,  before  serving,  add  a  tablespoonful 
of  sugar. 


198  THE   YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Pickle  (an  excellent  Condiment). 

Put  eight  pounds  of  skinned  tomatoes,  and  four  of  biown 
sugar,  into  a  preserving  kettle.  Stir  often  and  see  they  do  not 
burn.  Boil  them  to  the  consistency  of  molasses,  then  add  a 
quart  of  sharp  cider-vinegar,  a  teaspoonful  of  mace,  another  of 
cinnamon,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  clove,  and  boil  five  min- 
utes longer.  The  tomatoes  should  be  ripe. 

Stewed  Tomato  (to  keep  the  year  round). 

Skin  and  cut  up  the  fruit,  and  boil  it  gently  two  hours  in  a 
porcelain  kettle  ;  add  nothing  to  it  but  a  little  salt.  Have  ready 
enough  clean  bottles  to  contain  the  quantity  to  be  stewed.  Olive 
bottles  are  very  convenient  for  the  purpose,  but  common  junk 
bottles  are  also  good.  Provide  a  tunnel,  good  corks,  a  coarse 
towel,  a  hammer,  and  a  tin  dish  containing  equal  parts  of  rosin 
and  shoemaker's  wax.  After  two  hours'  boiling,  set  the  kettle 
off;  have  the  bottles  ready  warmed  by  standing  near  the  fire  so 
that  heat  will  not  crack  them;  put  hot  water  into  three  or  four  at 
a  time,  shake  it  about,  and  drain  it  out ;  then  fill  the  bottles 
with  the  hot  tomato  nearly  far  enough  to  meet  the  cork.  If  it 
does  not  -readily  go  through  the  tunnel,  push  it  down  with  a 
stick  or  skewer.  When  you  have  filled  these,  put  in  the  corks 
and  hammer  them  down ;  take  the  coarse  towel  to  protect  your 
hands  from  the  heat,  and  dip  the  mouth  of  the  bottle  into  the 
melted  sealing-wax.  See  that  the  cork  is  entirely  covered  by  it. 
Set  these  aside,  and  do  the  rest  in  the  same  way.  This  is  a  con- 
venient way  for  those  who  do  not  own  the  cans  now  so  much 
used ;  and  tomatoes  put  up  thus,  are  as  good  months  afterwards 
as  if  the  fruit  was  just  gathered-  None  but  fresh  and  sound 
ones  should  be  used.  Set  the  bottles  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Catsup. 

Slice  the  tomatoes  and  sprinkle  them  with  salt.  If  you  in. 
tend  to  let  them  stand  until  you  have  gathered  several  parcels, 
put  in  plenty  of  salt.  After  you  have  gathered  all  you  intend 

*  See  page  124. 


TOMATOES  —  CATSUP,   PICKLED.  199 

to  use,  boil  them  gently  an  hour,  strain  them  through  a  coarse 
sieve  ;  slice  two  good-sized  onions  very  thin  for  every  gallon  ; 
add  half  a  spoonful  of  ginger,  two  spoonfuls  of  powdered  clove, 
two  of  allspice,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  black  pepper.  Boil  it 
twenty  minutes  after  the  spices  are  added.  Keep  it  in  a  covered 
jar. 

This  kind  of  catsup  is  specially  designed  to  be  used  in  soups, 
and  stewed  meats. 

Another  Catsup  (retaining  the  color  and  flavor  of  the  Fruit). 

Skin  and  slice  the  tomatoes,  and  boil  them  an  hour  and  a  half. 
Then  put  to  one  gallon  not  strained,  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
mace,  the  same  of  nutmegs  and  cloves,  one  handful  of  horserad- 
ish, two  pods  of  red  pepper,  or  a  large  teaspoonful  of  cayenne, 
and  salt  as  you  like  it.  Boil  it  away  to  three  quarts,  and  then 
add  a  pint  of  wine  and  half  a  pint  of  vinegar.  Bottle  it,  and 
leave  the  bottles  open  two  or  three  days ;  then  cork  it  tight. 
Make  this  catsup  once,  and  you  will  wish  to  make  it  every  year. 

Pickled. 

Wash  and  weigh  eight  pounds  of  green  tomatoes,  chop 
them  small,  and  pour  away  the  liquid  that  flows  out.  Allow 
four  pounds  sugar,  two  quarts  cider-vinegar,  and  eight  onions. 
Put  the  vinegar  to  boil  in  a  porcelain  kettle  with  the  sugar, 
stir  it,  and  when  it  boils  up,  set  it  off,  and  let  it  stand  a  few 
minutes  until  you  can  remove  the  scum  without  wasting  the 
vinegar  ;  then  add  the  onions,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt,  a  table- 
spoonful  each  of  powdered  cinnamon  and  clove,  and  a  grated 
nutmeg;  then  set  it  upon  the  fire  and  immediately  add  the 
tomatoes.  When  the  vinegar  begins  to  simmer  press  the  toma- 
toes gently  down.  Let  them  boil  only  two  or  three  minutes. 
Put  them  into  covered  jars;  or,  when  cool  enough,  into  wide- 
mouthed  bottles.  When  the  pickles  are  all  used,  the  vinegar 
need  not  be  lost,  as  it  is  excellent  upon  baked  beans,  and  cold 
salt  meat. 


200  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

SALADS. 

To  Dress  Lettuce. 

Get  that  in  which  the  head  is  hard  and  compact.  Lay  it 
on  ice,  or  in  ice-water,  until  nearly  time  to  serve ;  then 
break  off  the  imperfect  leaves,  and  throw  them  aside.  Cut 
off  the  remainder  of  the  leaves  from  the  root,  and  look  them 
over  carefully;  for  lettuce  is  sometimes  infested  with  green 
flies  and  snails.  Wash  them  in  two  or  three  waters,  and  then 
arrange  the  leaves  nearest  the  outside,  in  the  bottom  of  a 
salad  or  other  deep  dish  ;  next  the  more  crisp  and  tender 
leaves,  and  the  smallest  upon  the  top  of  all.  Allow  two  hard- 
boiled  eggs  for  each  head  of  lettuce.  Have  them  ready,  cold, 
to  slice,  and  lay  over  the  lettuce.  Bits  of  ice  may  be  put 
in  here  and  there.  Do  not  let  it  stand  in,  the  hot  kitchen,  but 
send  at  once  to  the  table,  and  serve  with*  sugar,  vinegar,  mus- 
tard and  the  best  salad  oil. 

Drawn  butter  and  beef  gravy  are  excellent  substitutes  for 
oil.  Dip  from  the  gravy  tureen  upon  each  plate  of  lettuce  as 
prepared  at  the  table. 

Another  Way. 

Prepare  a  head  of  lettuce  as  above,  but  cut  each  leaf  in 
several  pieces  before  putting  in  the  dish.  Make  a  dressing 
beforehand  as  follows :  Take  a  small  cup  of  vinegar,  half 
a  cnp  of  oil  or  melted  butter,  a  little  made  mustard,  the 
yolk  of  a  hard-boiled  egg  mashed  fine,  and  mixed  with  the 
beaten  yolk  of  a  raw  egg ;  also  a  small  pinch  of  salt  and  a 
spoonful  of  spft  brown  sugar.  Mix  the  egg  first ;  then  add 
the  oil  or  butter,  the  sugar  and  salt ;  and,  after  stirring  these 
a  few  minutes,  put  in  the  vinegar,  and  pour  the  dressing  over 
the  lettuce  just  before  you  serve  it.  If  allowed  to  stand  in  the 
dressing  some  time,  it  will  not  be  crisp.  Add  more  vinegar 
and  oil  to  suit  your  taste.  The  egg  is  not  necessary,  but  is 
preferred  by  many  persons.  You  may  also  dress  lettuce  with 
sweetened  vinegar  only. 


/      / 


SUL^ 


f 


,  , 


LOBSTER  SALAD.  —  SALMON  SALAD,  ETC.         201 

The  French  use  more  oil  than  we;  but  it  is  of  a  better 
.quality,  having  a  peculiarly  fresh,  agreeable  flavor.  They  cut 
and  dress  their  salad  very  much  as  directed  just  above,  and 
often  place  it  around  the  edge  of  a  platter  of  meat.  They 
consider  no  dinner  complete  without  salad,  and  have  some 
delicate  and  pretty  varieties  not  grown  in  this  country. 

Lobster  Salad  (to  serve  at  supper). 

Cut  very  small  the  meat  of  one  good-sized  lobster.  (The 
hen  lobsters  are  best  for  salad,  because  they  contain  the  red 
meat,  called  "  coral,"  which  is  desirable  for  garnishing.)  Put 
it  in  a  salad  dish,  reserving  the  coral  for  ornamenting  the 
salad.  Make  a  dressing  as  follows  :  Beat  the  yolks  of  two 
raw  eggs  with  the  yolks  of  two  eggs  boiled  hard,  and  mashed 
fine  as  possible.  Add  gradually  a  tablespoonful  of  made 
.  mustard,  three  of  melted  butter  or  the  best  of  salad  oil,  a  lit- 
tle salt  and  pepper  (either  black  or  Cayenne),  and  vinegar  to 
your  taste.  Beat  the  mixture  a  long  time.  Use  more  or  less 
oil  as  you  prefer.  Some  persons  like  the  addition  of  lemon- 
juice  and  a  little  brown  sugar.  Increase  the  quantity  of 
dressing,  as  you  may  find  necessary,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  lobster. 

Just  before  serving,  take  one  or  two  good  heads  of  lettuce 
which  have  been  on  the  ice  for  several  hours,  and  cut  up  very 
small  the  crisp  inside  leaves  only.  Put  them  over  the  lobster- 
meat  in  the  salad  dish,  first  pouring  over  the  lobster  some  of 
the  dressing.  Pour  the  remainder  of  the  dressing  over  the 
salad ;  garnish  with  the  coral  cut  fine,  the  white  of  the  two 
hard-boiled  eggs  cut  in  rings,  and  two  others  boiled  hard,  and 
sliced.  The  salad  is  then  ready  to  serve. 

Lobster  Salad  (for  tne  dinner-table). 

Put  the  meat  of  the  lobster  on  a  platter,  pouring  over  it  a 
part  of  the  dressing,  made  as  directed  above.  Cut  each  of 
the  lettuce-leaves  in  three  or  four  pieces,  roll  them  in  the  re- 
mainder of  the  dressing,  and  place  them  around  the  lobster. 
Sometimes  lobster  salad  at  dinner  is  considered  a  course,  and 


202  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

should  be  served  with  rolls  and  butter,  after  the  poultry  and 
meat  are  removed. 

Salmon  Salad.* 

Take  a  pound,  or  less,  of  boiled  salmon.  While  warm,  re- 
move the  skin,  and  as  many  bones  as  you  can  without  break- 
ing the  fish.  Lay  it  in  a  deep  dish.  Put  a  few  cloves  in  and 
around  it ;  sprinkle  salt  and  pepper  over ;  cover  with  cold  vine- 
gar, and  let  it  stand  for  a  day  or  two  ;  then  take  it  from  the 
vinegar,  and  lay  it  on  a  platter.  Prepare  a  dressing  as  for 
lobster,  covering  the  salmon  thickly  with  a  part  of  it.  Roll 
the  crisp  inside  leaves  of  lettuce,  cut  in  two  or  three  pieces, 
in  the  remainder,  and  place  around  the  salmon,  and  serve. 
Like  lobster  salad,  it  may  be  a  course^at  dinner,  and  is  a  hand- 
some dish  for  the  supper-table. 

A  Superior  Salad  Dressing. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  eight  eggs,  and  add  to  them  a  cup  of 
sugar,  a  tablespoonful  each  of  salt,  mustard,  and  black  pep- 
per, also  a  little  Cayenne  pepper  and  half  a  cup  of  cream. 
Mix  thoroughly.  Boil  a  cup  of  butter  in  one  pint  and  a  half 
of  vinegar.  Pour  this  upon  the  mixture,  and  stir  well. 
When  cold,  put  it  in  bottles.  This  dressing  will  keep  for 
weeks  in  the  hottest  weather. 

Role  Slau. 

Lay  a  hard  head  of  white  cabbage  in  cold  water  for  several 
hours.  Drain  it  well  from  the  water,  then  shave  it  very  fine 
with  a  sharp  knife.  Put  it  in  a  deep  dish,  and  pour  vinegar 
over,  and  sprinkle  with  pepper;  or  serve  with  salad  dress- 
ing. This  is  a  good  substitute  for  salad  in  the  winter  season. 

A  Sauce  for  Lobster. 

Mash  the  yolks  of  two  hard-boiled  eggs  ;  add  the  tomally, 
a  teaspoonful  of  made  mustard,  half  a  cup  of  butter,  melted, 
vinegar,  salt,  and  pepper  to  taste. 

*  For  Chicken  Salad,  see  page  162. 


ON    COOKING    VEGETABLES.  203 


ON    COOKING   VEGETABLES. 

AFTER  being  well  washed,  they  should  be  laid  in  water,  ex- 
cepting corn  and  peas,  which  should  be  husked  and  shelled  with 
clean  hands,  and  not  washed,  as  some  of  the  sweetness  is  thereby 
extracted.  Put  all  kinds,  except  peas  and  beans,  into  boiling 
water,  with  a  little  salt  in  it.  Hard  water  spoils  peas,  and  is 
not  good  for  any  vegetables ;  a  very  little  saleratus  or  soda  will 
rectify  it.  Peas  are  much  best  when  first  gathered,  and  they 
should  not  be  shelled  long  before  boiling.  If  they  are  old,  a 
salt-spoon  of  soda  in  the  water  will  make  them  tender.  Aspar- 
agus should  not  be  cut  so  far  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  as 
it  usually  is  for  market ;  the  white  end  never  boils  tender 
Sweet  potatoes  require  a  third  longer  time  to  cook  than  the 
common  ones. 

Greens,  lettuce,  and  cucumbers  should  be  gathered  before  the 
dew  is  off  in  the  morning,  and  p.nt  into  fresh  water.  All  these, 
with  peas,  beans,  and  asparagus,  are  unhealthful  after  they  are 
withered. 

To  Boil  Potatoes. 

The  best  potatoes  are  good  boiled  without  paring,  but  even 
they,  are  best  pared  ;  and  poor  potatoes  are  unfit  to  eat,  boiled 
with  the  skins  on.  New  potatoes  are  made  watery  by  being 
laid  in  water,  but  late  in  the  winter  and  in  the  spring  they  should 
be  pared  and  laid  in  cold  water  an  hour  or  two  before  they  are 
cooked.  Put  them  into  boiling  water,  with  salt  in  it,  and  allow 
thirty  or  forty  minutes  for  boiling,  according  to  the  size.  When 
they  are  done  through,  pour  off  the  water,  and  take  the  kettle 
to  the  door  or  window,  and  shake  them.  Doing  this  in  the 
open  air  makes  them  mealy ;  return  them  to  the  fire  a  minute 
or  two,  and  then  serve.  Many  persons  take  a  fork  and  break 
them  up  in  the  kettle,  before  taking  them  up,  and  they  make  a 
beautiful  looking  dish  done  in  this  way. 


204  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Potatoes  require  nearly  an  hour  to  bake  in  a  cooking  stove 
or  range. 

Mashed  Potatoes. 

Boil  them  according  to  the  directions  in  the  preceding  receipt, 
allowing  twenty  minutes  more  time  before  dinner,  than  if  they 
were  to  be  put  on  the  table  whole.  When  they  are  dried,  set 
off  the  kettle  and  mash  them  in  it  with  a  wooden  pestle.  This  is 
better  than  to  take  them  into  a  pan,  as  they  will  keep  hot  in  the 
kettle.  Have  ready  a  gill  or  two  of  hot  milk  or  cream  ;  if  you 
use  milk,  put  a  small  piece  of  butter  into  it.  Sprinkle  salt  into 
the  -potato  and  mash  it  till  it  is  perfectly  fine ;  then  pour  in  the 
hot  milk  and  mix  it  thoroughly.  The  more  it  is  wrought  with 
the  pestle,  the  whiter  it  becomes.  Put  it  into  the  dish  for  the 
table,  smooth  the  top  into  proper  shape,  and  set  it  into  the  stove 
to  brown.  To  prepare  it  in  the  nicest  manner,  beat  the  yolk  of 
an  egg  and  spread  over  the  top  before  putting  it  into  the 
stove.  If  you  do  not  care  to  take  all  this  trouble,  it  is  very 
good  without  being  browned. 

Potatoe  Balls. 

Mash  boiled  potatoes  fine,  stir  into  them  the  yolk  of  an  egg, 
and  make  them  into  balls  ;  then  dip  them  into  a  beaten  egg,  roll 
them  in  cracker  crumbs,  and  brown  them  in  a  quick  oven ;  or, 
fry  them  in  a  small  quantity  of  nice  drippings,  and  in  that  case 
flatten  them  so  that  they  can  be  easily  turned,  and  browned 
both  sides. 

Old  Potatoes. 

"When  potatoes  are  poor,  as  they  often  are  in  the  spring, 
pare,  soak,  and  boil  them  as  directed  in  the  first  receipt.  Then 
take  two  together  in  a  coarse  cloth,  squeeze  and  wring  them. 

Potatoes  Fried  Whole. 

Boil  them  till  nearly  done ;  then  brown  in  pork-fat,  turn- 
ing often.  Or  roll  them  in  flour,  then  dip  in  a  beaten  egg 
and  fine  crumbs,  and  fry  in  as  much  lard  or  beef-drippings  as 


TO   FRY   POTATOES.  205 

you  would  doughnuts.  Potatoes  may  be  fried  whole  without 
previous  cooking,  but  will  require  nearly  as  much  time  as 
boiled  potatoes. 

To  Fry  Potatoes. 

Pare  and  slice  very  thin  raw  potatoes.  Some  persons  cut 
them  around  and  around,  like  an  apple-paring.  Have  ready, 
heated,  the  fat  of  baked  ham,  pork-fat,  or  lard.  The  fire 
should  not  be  so  hot  as  to  scorch  the  fat.  Stir  the  potatoes 
occasionally  until  brown;  then  drain  from  the  fat,  sprinkle 
salt  over,  and  lay  them  in  a  well  heated  dish.  A  hot  dish  is 
Indispensable  in  serving  potatoes. 

Chopped  Potatoes,  fried. 

Chop  cold  boiled  potatoes ;  have  a  slice  or  two  of  pork  fried 
crisp  in  a  spider ;  then  take  it  out,  and  put  in  the  potato  and 
brown  it. 

Cold  Potatoes, 

Never  throw  away  cold  potatoes.  Cold  boiled  potatoes  are 
best  to  fry,  and  require  less  time  than  raw  ones  ;  but  they 
should  be  sliced  thicker.  "Skin  baked  potatoes  while  yet| 
warm.  These  are  excellent  for  meat-hashes,  or  to  heat  in 
milk.  It  is  also  a  nice  way  to  chop  them  fine,  sprinkle  with 
salt,  and  fry  in  pork-fat  or  butter.  Press  the  mass  down  in 
the  spider ;  let  it  remain  till  heated  through,  and  the  lower 
surface  is  browned ;  or  stir  occasionally  with  a  fork  till  su£ 
ficiently  heated  and  browned. 

Potatoes  Broiled. 

Slice  cold  boiled  potatoes  half  an  inch  thick,  and  brown  on 
a  wire  gridiron.  Season  with  salt,  butter,  and  pepper. 

Potatoes  Heated  in  Milk. 

To  make  a  very  good  dish  for  breakfast,  cut  cold  potatoes 
quite  small,  and  put  them  into  a  saucepan  or  spider,  with  milk 
enough  almost,  but  not  entirely,  to  cover  them.  When  the 


206  THE   YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

milk  becomes  hot,  stir  and  mash  the  potatoes  with  a  large  spoon 
until  there  are  no  lumps.  Add  salt,  and  a  small  bit  of  butter, 
stir  it  often,  until  it  is  as  dry  as  you  wish  to  have  it.  It  is  a 
nicer  dish,  when  prepared  with  so  much  milk  that  a  good  deal 
of  stirring  is  necessary  to  make  it  dry,  than  if  done  in  but  a 
small  quantity. 

Potatoes  and  Ham. 

Fry  a  slice  of  ham ;  lay  it  upon  a  heated  platter,  and  set 
where  it  will  keep  hot.  In  the  fat  fry  cold  potatoes,  sliced, 
and  when  brown,  arrange  them  on  the  dish  around  the  ham. 

Always  save  the  fat  of  baked  or  fried  ham.  None  is  so 
good  in  which  to  fry  potatoes. 

Potatoes  Lyonaise. 

Boil  in  water  just  to  cover  them  seven  potatoes  ;  then  slice^ 
sprinkle  with  salt,  and  fry  them.  Slice  also  half  an  onion, 
and  fry  brown.  When  cooked  sufficiently,  add  a  few  drops  of 
vinegar ;  mix  the  onion  with  the  potato,  and  serve  very  hot. 

Sweet  Potatoes. 

They  are  best  baked ;  are  very  nice  boiled  till  tender,  and 
then  pared  and  laid  into  the  oven  to  brown.  They  require 
more  time  for  being  cooked,  than  the  common  potatoe.  Cold 
sweet  potatoes  are  excellent  sliced  and  browned  on  the  grid- 
dle. When  one  side  is  done,  sprinkle  salt  over  before  turn- 
ing them. 

Mashed  Turnips. 

Boil  them  in  salt  and  water,  at  least  an  hour  and  a  half,  un- 
less they  are  of  early  growth.  Take  them  from  the  kettle  into 
a  deep  dish,  press  them  a  little  and  pour  off  the  water ;  mash 
them  like  potatoes,  but  use  no  milk,  as  they  are  moist  enough. 
Add  salt  and  a  little  butter. 

It  is  a  very  nice  way  to  put  an  equal  number  of  potatoes  and 
turnips  together,  and  mash  them  until  they  are  thoroughly  mixed. 
This  is  a  favorite  dish  among  the  Dutch  in  the  State  of  New 
York. 


SHELLED    BEANS,    PEAS,    ASPARAGUS.  207 

Shelled  Beans. 

Put  them  into  cold  soft  water,  just  enough  to  cover  them. 
Boil  them  from  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  quarter.  Some  kinds 
are  more  easily  boiled  than  others.  Do  not  put  in  salt  until 
they  are  nearly  done,  as  its  tendency  is  to  make  them  hard. 
Take  them  up  with  a  skimmer  and  butter  them. 

String  Beans. 

Beans  should  never  be  used  in  this  way  after  the  pod  has 
become  old  enough  to  have  a  string,  or  tough  fibre  upon  it. 
Cut  off  each  end,  and  cut  them  up  small.  Boil  them  in  as 
little  water  as  will  keep  them  from  burning.  Just  before  you 
take  them  up,  add  salt  and  butter,  and  dredge  in  a  little  flour. 
They  should  have  only  as  much  liquor  in  them  as  you  wish  to 
take  up  in  the  dish,  else  the  sweetness  is  wasted.  String  beans 
and  peas  are  good  boiled  together. 


If  peas  are  young  and  fresh  (and  none  others  are  good), 
they  will  boil  in  half  an  hour  or  thirty-five  minutes.  They 
shoujd  be  put  into  cold  water,  without  salt.  The  same  quan- 
tity should  be  used  as  for  string  beans,  and  for  the  same 
reason.  When  they  are  tender,  add  salt  and  butter.  It  is  an 
improvement  to  boil  a  single  small  slice  of  pork  in  them.  It 
need  not  be  laid  into  the  dish,  and  the  same  slice  will  do  for  an- 
other boiling. 

Asparagus. 

Wash  it,  trim  off  the  white  ends,  and  tie  it  up  in  bunches 
with  a  twine  or  a  strip  of  old  cotton.  Throw  them  into  boiling 
water  with  salt  in  it.  Boil  twenty-five  minutes  or  half  an  hour. 
Have  ready  two  or  three  slices  of  toasted  bread,  dip  them  in  the 
water  and  lay  them  in  the  dish.  Spread  them  with  butter  and 
lay  the  bunches  of  asparagus  upon  the  toast.  Cut  the  strings 
with  a  scissors  and  draw  them  out  without  breaking  the  stalks  ; 
lay  thin  shavings  of  butter  over  the  asparagus,  and  send  it  to 
the  table. 


208  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

Radishes. 

A  little  while  before  using,  lay  them  upon  ice,  or  put  them 
in  cold  water.  To  prepare  them  for  the  table,  cut  off  the 
leaves ;  then  scrape  them,  and  put  them  into  a  tumbler,  or 
other  glass  suitable,  with  ice-water.  Serve  with  salt,  or  pep- 
per and  vinegar. 

Mushrooms. 

Choose  such  as  are  young,  having  red  gills ;  cut  off  the 
part  of  the  stalk  which  grew  in  the  earth ;  wash  them,  remove 
the  skin  from  the  top,  stew  them  with  some  salt  in  a  little  water, 
and  when  tender  add  butter,  into  which  you  have  rubbed 
browned  flour.  They  are  good  fried  on  a  griddle. 

Artichokes. 

Trim  them,  wash  thoroughly,  and  lay  into  cold  water  for 
several  hours.  Then  put  them  into  boiling  water,  and  boil 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  or  until  tender.  Then  stew  them  a 
few  minutes  in  half  a  pint  of  milk,  slightly  thickened  with 
flour  or  corn-starch,  wet  in  cold  milk,  and  seasoned  with  a  bit 
of  butter,  a  little  salt  and  pepper. 

Artichokes  are  also  eaten  raw,  and  served  like  cucumbers, 
sliced,  with  salt,  vinegar,  and  pepper. 

Fried  Celery- 
Cut  large  stalks  of  celery  in  three  pieces.     Boil  till  tender ; 
then  dip  each  alternately  into  a  batter  made  with  two  eggs 
and    a   few  spoonfuls    of  milk,  and   into  fine  crumbs.     Pry 
brown  in  butter. 

Cucumbers. 

Cucumbers  should  be  gathered  while  dew  is  yet  on  them, 
and  put  immediately  into  water.  Half  an  hour  before  dinner, 
pare  and  slice  them  very  thin,  and  let  them  lie  in  fresh  water 
till  dinner  is  ready ;  then  drain  them,  lay  them  into  a  dish, 
sprinkle  them  with  salt,  pour  on  the  vinegar,  and  add  the  pep- 
per last. 


MACARONI,   PARSNIPS,   CARROTS,   BEETS.  209 

Macaroni  (to  serve  with  roast  beef,  venison,  and  poultry). 

Procure  that  which  looks  white  and  clean,  and  is  free  from 
insects.  Break  into  pieces  two  inches  long,  enough  macaroni 
to  fill  a  pint  bowl.  Wash  it,  and  put  into  a  saucepan  with  a 
pint  and  a  half  of  water  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt!  Boil  slowly 
half  an  hour ;  then  add  a  cup  of  milk  and  a  small  piece  of  but- 
ter, and  boil  fifteen  minutes  more.  Place  it  in  a  small  pud- 
ding-dish, buttered.  Half  fill  the  dish,  and  scatter  over  cheese 
cut  fine.  Add  the  remainder  of  the  macaroni,  and  upon  the 
top  put  shavings  of  cheese  and  a  few  bits  of  butter.  Brown 
in  a  quick  oven.  It  will  require  about  half  an  hour. 

A  simpler  way  is,  to  boil  macaroni  as  above,  stir  in  a  bit  of 
butter,  also  a  little  cheese,  and  then  serve  as  a  vegetable. 

Parsnips. 

Those  that  have  remained  in  the  ground  till  March,  are  usu- 
ally very  nice.  Boil  them  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  and  cook 
enough  for  two  days.  Scrape  the  outside,  split  them,  and  lay 
them  on  a  dish  with  a  little  butter,  salt,  and  pepper.  Take 
those  that  are  left  the  next  day,  and  lay  them  on  a  hot  griddle 
or  spider,  with  a  little  butter,  ham  fat,  or  nice  drippings,  and 
brown  them.  These  are  better  than  on  the  first  day.  They 
will  brown  well  when  first  boiled,  but  not  so  quickly. 

Carrots. 

These  are  not  considered  by  most  people  very  good ;  but 
they  are  so  in  broth  and  soup.  To  eat  with  meat  they  should 
be  boiled  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  if  fresh  from  the  garden  ; 
in  the  winter,  an  hour  and  a  half.  They  make  very  good  pies 
after  the  fashion  of  pumpkin  or  squash ;  but  they  must  be  boiled 
very  tender,  and  in  a  good  deal  of  water,  else  a  strong  taste 
will  pervade  the  pies. 

Beets. 

When  they  are  washed  the  little  fibres  and  ragged  excres- 
cences should  not  be  broken  oif,  as  the  juices  of  the  root  will 


210  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Urns  be  lost.  Young  beets  boil  in  an  hour;  but  in  the  winter 
they  require  from  two  to  three  hours.  When  tender,  put  them 
for  a  minute  or  two  into  cold  water,  take  them  in  your  hands 
and  slip  the  skins  off.  This  is  a  much  easier  and  better  way 
than  to  remove  the  skin  with  a  knife.  Lay  them  into  a  dishr 
cut  them  several  times  through,  sprinkle  them  with  salt  and 
pepper,  add  a  little  butter,  and,  if  you  choose,  vinegar  also.  It 
is  a  very  good  way  to  cut  up  all  that  remain  after  dinner,  put  on 
salt  and  vinegar,  and  set  them  aside  to  be  used  cold  another  day. 

Salsify,  or  Oyster  Plant 

Wash  and  scrape  it  very  thoroughly,  and  put  it  in  boiling 
water  with  salt  in  it.  When  tender,  cut  it  in  slices  and  fry  it 
in  hot  fat,  in  a  batter  made  of  an  egg,  milk,  flour,  and  salt.  It 
is  very  nice,  also,  dipped  in  bread-crumbs  moistened  with  a 
beaten  egg,  and  browned  on  a  griddle. 

Summer  Squash. 

If  the  rind  is  tender,  boil  it  whole,  in  a  little  bag  kept  for  the 
purpose.  It  should  be  put  into  boiling  water ;  three  quarters  of 
an  hour  is  long  enough  to  cook  it.  Take  the  bag  into  a  pan 
and  press  it  with  the  edge  of  a  plate  or  with  a  ladle,  until  the 
water  is  out ;  then  turn  the  squash  out  into  a  dish,  add  salt  and 
butter,  and  smooth  over  the  top. 

Winter  Squash, 

Cut  it  up  and  take  out  the  inside.  Pare  the  pieces,  and  stew 
them  in  as  little  water  as  possible.  If  you  have  a  tin  with  holes 
in  it,  which  will  fit  the  kettle  and  keep  the  squash  from 
touching  the  water,  it  is  the  nicest  way  to  steam  it.  Be 
careful  it  does  not  burn.  It  will  cook  in  an  hour.  Mash  it 
in  a  dish,  or,  if  it  i&  watery,  squeeze  it  in  a  coarse  cloth  like 
summer  squash.  Stir  in  butter  and  salt.  Lay  it  into  the  dish, 
smooth  the  top,  and,  if  you  like,  pepper  it. 


ONIONS,    SPINAGE,   GREENS,   CABBAGE.  211 

Onions. 

Boil  them  twenty  minutes,  and  pour  off  the  water  entirely  ; 
then  put  in  equal  parts  of  hot  water  and  milk,  or  skimmed  milk 
alone,  and  boil  them  twenty  minutes  more.  When  they  are 
done  through,  take  them  up  with  a  skimmer,  let  them  drain  a 
little,  and  lay  them  into  the  dish.  Put  on  butter,  pepper,  and 
salt. 

Spinage. 

Put  it  into  a  net,  or  a  bag  of  coarse  muslin,  kept  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  boil  it  in  a  plenty  of  water  with  salt  in  it,  half  an 
hour.  All  kinds  of  greens  should  be  boiled  in  plenty  of 
water,  else  they  will  be  bitter. 

One  method  of  serving  spinage  is,  to  press  it  between  two 
plates,  then  put  it  into  a  saucepan  with  a  small  bit  of  butter, 
salt,  and  a  little  cream,  and  boil  it  up.  Another  is  to  drain  it 
thoroughly,  lay  it  in  the  dish,  put  upon  the  top  hard  boiled  eggs, 
sliced,  and  pour  melted  butter  over  it. 

Greens. 

Cabbage  plants,  turnip  or  mustard  tops,  the  roots  and  tops  of 
young  beets,  cowslips,  dandelions,  and  various  other  things, 
make  a  good  dish  in  the  spring.  When  boiled  enough,  they 
will  sink  to  the  bottom  of  the  kettle.  Some  require  an  hour, 
and  others  less  time.  Turnip-tops  will  be  boiled  enough  in 
Iwenty  minutes.  Remember  to  put  salt  into  the  water,  unless 
you  boil  a  piece  of  \)ork  with  them. 

Cabbage. 

Remove  the  waste  leaves,  and  divide  the  stump  end  as  far  as 
the  centre  of  the  cabbage.  It  is  good  boiled  with  salt  meat ; 
but  if  cooked  by  itself,  salt  should  be  added  to  the  water.  Cab- 
bage should  be  put  into  boiling  water,  be  well  skimmed,  and 
boil  an  hour  or  hour  and  a  half,  according  to  the  size. 


212  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Cauliflowers. 

Laj  them  an  hour  or  two  in  cold  salt  and  water ;  remove 
the  outside  leaves  and  boil  them  half  an  hour  in  milk  and 
water.  If  they  are  strong,  pour  off  the  water  when  they  are 
half  done,  and  put  fresh  boiling  water  to  them.  Brocoli  is 
cooked  in  the  same  manner,  and  should  be  laid  on  toast  exactly 
like  asparagus. 

Egg  Plant. 

Cut  in  slices  half  an  inch,  or  less,  in  thickness.  Put  them 
in  salt  and  water  for  an  hour.  Dip  them  in  beaten  egg,  then 
in  Indian  meal,  or  fine  cracker  crumbs,  and  fry  until  tender 
and  brown.  One  plant  is  sufficient  for  a  small  family. 

Boiled  Corn. 

Put  the  ears  into  boiling  water,  with  salt  in  it,  and  boil  them 
half  an  hour. 

Corn  Soup. 

Cut  the  corn  off  the  cob,  and  boil  the  cobs  half  an  hour  in  the 
water ;  then  take  them  out,  put  in  the  corn  and  boil  it  twenty 
minutes  or  half  an  hour.  If  there  is  a  quart  of  the  corn  and 
water,  add  a  pint  of  new  milk,  with  salt,  pepper,  and  one  or  two 
beaten  eggs.  Continue  the  boiling  a  few  minutes,  and  thicken 
it  a  little  with  flour. 

Succotash. 

Cut  off  the  corn  from  the  cobs,  and,  an  hour  and  a  half  be- 
fore dinner,  put  the  cobs,  with  a  few  shelled  beans,  into  cold 
water  to  boil.  After  one  hour  take  out  the  cobs,  put  in  tho 
corn  and  boil  it  half  an  hour.  There  should  be  no  more  water 
than  will  be  necessary  to  make  the  succotash  of  the  right  thick- 
ness ;  as  having  too  much  occasions  a  loss  of  the  richness  im- 
parted by  the  cobs.  When  you  take  it  up,  add  a  small  piece  of 
butter.  This  is  much  better  than  to  boil  the  corn  on  the  cob 
and  then  cut  it  off. 


d  & 

l&$, 


\j 


• 


PICKLES  —  CUCUMBERS.  213 

•  It  is  a  very  good  way,  when  a  family  are  tired  of  fresh  meat 
in  hot  weather,  to  boil  a  piece  of  pork  in  another  pot  until  the 
grossest  fat  has  boiled  out,  and  then  put  it  with  the  succotash 
for  the  remainder  of  the  time.  It  gives  a  very  good  flavor  to 
the  corn,  and  makes  an  excellent  dinner. 

Corn  Oysters. 

Grate  young,  sweet  corn  into  a  dish,  and  to  a  pint  add  one 
egg,  well  beaten,  a  small  teacup  of  flour,  half  a  gill  of  cream, 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Mix  it  well  together.  Fry  it  exactly 
like  oysters,  dropping  it  into  the  fat  by  spoonfuls  about  the  size 
of  an  oyster. 


PICKLES   AND    CONDIMENTS. 

PICKLES  should  never  be  kept  in  potter's  ware,  as  arsenic 
and  other  poisonous  substances  are  used  in  the  glazing ;  and 
this  is  sometimes  decomposed  by  vinegar.  Whole  families  have 
been  poisoned  in  this  way ;  and  where  fatal  effects  do  not  follow, 
a  deleterious  influence  may  be  operating  upon  the  health,  from 
this  cause,  when  it  is  not  suspected.  Pickles  should  be  made 
with  cider  vinegar. 

Cucumbers. 

Wash  and  drain  them  in  a  sieve,  but  take  care  not  to  break 
the  little  prickles  upon  them,  as  the  effect  will  be  to  make  them 
soft.  Lay  them  in  a  jar,  pour  boiling  vinegar  upon  them  and 
cover  them  close.  The  next  time  you  gather  any,  take  those 
from  the  jar,  and  put  them  into  that  in  which  they  are  to  be 
kept,  in  fresh  vinegar  having  a  very  little  salt  in  it,  and  a 
small  bag  oi  spices.  Take  the  vinegar  from  the  first  jar,  boil  it 
again,  pour  it  upon  the  fresh*  cucumbers,  and  transfer  them  like 
the  first  to  the  larger  jar,  the  next  time  you  have  a  new  quun- 


214  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

tity  to  boil.  When  you  have  gathered  all  you  wish  for,  put  a 
brass  or  bell-metal  kettle  *  over  the  fire,  with  the  vinegar  in  it 
which  you  have  so  often  boiled,  and  add  a  little  more  to  it,  — 
no  matter  if  it  is  not  sharp.  Lay  in  your  pickles  and  scald 
them  a  few  minutes.  Take  them  out  with  a  large  skimmer, 
draining  them,  and  lay  them  back  into  the  jar  of  spiced  vinegar. 
Look  at  them  occasionally ;  they  may  need  a  little  more  vinegar. 
Keep  them  covered  close. 


Select  small  musk-melons  (the  common  kind  are  much  better 
for  this  purpose  than  cantelopes)  ;  cut  an  oval  piece  out  of  one 
side.  You  must  have  a  sharp  knife,  and  be  careful  to  make  a 
smooth  incision.  Take  out  the  seeds  with  a  teaspoon.  Fill  the 
melons  with  a  stuffing  made  of  cloves,  mustard-seed,  pepper- 
corns, scrapings  of  horseradish,  and  chopped  onion  if  you  like 
it.  Sew  on  the  piece  with  a  needle  and  coarse  thread,  or  bind 
a  strip  of  old  cotton  around  each  one  and  sew  it.  Lay  them  in 
a  jar,  and  pour  boiling  vinegar  on  them  with  a  little  salt  in  it. 
Do  it  two  or  three  times,  then  lay  them  in  fresh  vinegar  and 
cover  them  close. 

Peaches. 

Select  ripe,  but  not  soft,  peaches.  For  a  half  a  peck,  allow 
three  pounds  of  granulated  sugar  and  a  pint  of  vinegar. 
Boil  the  sugar  and  vinegar  together  twenty  minutes.  Put 
the  peaches  into  hot  water  for  an  instant,  and,  on  taking  them 
out,  rub  the  fur  off  with  a  coarse  towel.  Put  them  into  the 
boiling  vinegar,  and  boil  till  tender.  Put  them  in  jars  or 
wide-mouthed  bottles.  Boil  eight  or  ten  cloves  in  the  vinegar ; 
then  pour  it  on  the  peaches,  not  so  hot  as  to  break  the  jars. 


*  A  kettle  lined  with  porcelain  is  better  than  any  other  for  cooking  acids. 
Brass  or  bell-metal  should  be  thoroughly  scoured  immediately  before  it  is 
used  for  these  purposes. 


V 


PICKLES  —  NASTURTIONS,    ONIONS,   ETC"  215 

Nasturtiums. 

Gather  the  seeds  while  green,  let  them  lie  a  few  days,  then 
throw  them  into  vinegar.  They  need  no  spice  except  a  little 
salt,  being  themselves  sufficiently  spicy.  Boil  the  vinegar  and 
pour  on  them.  They  are  considered  by  many  persons  better 
than  capers,  and  are  much  like  them.  They  should  be  kept  six 
months,  covered  close,  before  they  are  used. 

Onions. 

Select  as  many  small  silver  onions  as  a  quart  of  water  will 
cover.  Boil  in  this  a  short  time  half  a  cup  of  salt,  and  pour 
over  the  onions.  Let  them  remain  twenty-four  hours  closely 
covered ;  then  place  them  between  dry  cloths.  When  cold, 
put  them  into  a  stone  jar,  and  pour  over  enough  hot  vinegar 
to  cover ;  having  first  boiled  the  vinegar  with  two  or  three 
bits  of  white  ginger-root  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  white  pep- 
per. Cover  tight. 

Peppers. 

Take  fresh,  hard  peppers,  soak  them  in  salt  and  water  nine 
days,  changing  the  brine  each  day.  Let  them  stand  in  a 
warm  place.  Then  put  them  into  cold  vinegar.  If  you  wish 
them  very  hot,  leave  in  the  seeds.  If  not,  take  out  the  seeds 
of  the  .greatest  part  of  them.  If  peppers  are  put  into  the 
same  jar  with  cucumbers,  the  entire  strength  of  them  will  go 
into  the  cucumbers,  and  they  themselves  will  become  nearly 
tasteless.  Half  a  dozen  peppers  will  improve  a  jar  of  cucum- 
bers. 

Butternuts. 

Gather  them  between  the  twenty-fifth  and  thirtieth  of  June. 
Make  a  brine  of  boiled  salt  and  water,  strong  enpugh  to  bear 
up  an  egg  after  if  is  cold.  Skim  it  while  it  boils.  Pour  it 
on  the  nuts,  and  let  them  lie  in  it  twelve  days.  Then  drain 
them  ;  lay  them  in  a  jar,  and  pour  over  them  the  best  of  cider 
vinegar,  boiled  with  pepper-corns,  cloves,  allspice,  mustard, 
ginger,  mace,  and  horseradish.  This  should  be  cooled  before  it 


216  THE  YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

is  poured  on.  Cover  close,  and  keep  them  a  year  before  us,, 
ing  them.  Walnuts  are  done  in  the  same  way.  The  vinegar 
becomes  an  excellent  catsup,  by  many  persons  preferred  to  any 
other. 

Martinias. 

Gather  them  when  they  are  rather  small,  and  so  tende^  that 
you  can  run  the  head  of  a  pin  into  them.  Wipe  off  the  down 
and  put  them  into  a  cold,  weak  brine.  Keep  them  in  brine  nine 
days,  changing  it  every  other  day.  Make  a  pickle  of  vinegar, 
allspice,  cloves,  mace,  nutmegs,  and  cinnamon.  Take  the  martin- 
ias  out  of  the  brine,  wipe  them,  and  lay  them  into  a  stone  jar ; 
pour  the  mixture  of  vinegar  and  spice,  boiling  hot,  over  them ; 
cover  them  close,  and  let  them  stand  one  month,  and  they  will 
be  fit  for  use.  There  can  be  no  finer  pickle  than  this,  and  the 
plant  is  so  prolific,  that  half  a  dozen  seeds  will  produce  enough 
to  fill  a  large  jar.  , 

Tomatoes. 

See  page  199. 

Plums,  Currants,  Cherries,  or  Tomatoes. 

Four  quarts  of  cider  vinegar,  five  pounds  of  sugar,  a  quarter 
of  a  pound  of  cinnamon,  and  two  ounces  of  clove,  to"  seven 
pounds  of  fruit.  Scald  the  vinegar  and  sugar  together,  and 
take  off  the  scum ;  add  the  spices  and  boil  it  up  again,  and  pour 
it  immediately  upon  the  fruit.  Scald  the  vinegar  twice  more 
at  intervals  of  three  or  four  days,  and  cover  the  jar  close  after  it 
is  poured  in. 

A  less  expensive  way  is  found  to  be  very  good.  Put  four 
pounds  of  sugar  to  eight  of  fruit,  half  the  quantity  of  spice,  a 
spoonful  of  salt,  and  one  also^of  powdered  allspice. 

Sterling  Pickle, 

Chop  two  heads  of  cabbage,  a  pint  of  onions,  and  one 
dozen  peppers ;  mix,  sprinkle  with  salt,  and  drain  on  a  hair 


I) U  i^   £Jt  X^^^^c,    0^2~ 
^  s 


PICKLES  —  PICCALILLI,    CAULIFLOWER,   ETC.  217 

sieve  over  night.  Mix  four  ounces  each  of  mustard  and 
mustard-seed  with  two  ounces  of  celery-seed.  In  the  morn- 
ing put  into  a  jar  alternate  layers  of  the  mixture  and  the 
spice.  Four  over  cold  vinegar.  Cover  closely. 

Piccalilli  (of  all  kinds  of  pickles). 

Mix  tomatoes,  chopped  and  drained,  with  chopped  onions, 
red  and  green  peppers,  horse-radish,  &c.,  as  you  like.  Add 
spices,  salt,  sugar,  and  a  little  curry-powder.  Cover  with 
vinegar.  Boil  an  hour. 

Cauliflower. 

Cut  a  large  cauliflower  in  several  pieces.  Put  them  into 
cold  water  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  salt.  Let  the  water 
heat  gradually.  Boil  the  cauliflower  ten  minutes  ;  then  drain 
them  on  cloths  or  a  hair  sieve  until  perfectly  dry,  and  place 
them  in  a  glass  jar.  Boil  a  teaspoonful  of  cloves  and  two  of 
mustard-seed  in  one  quart  of  vinegar  for  a  few  minutes. 
When  cool,  pour  this  over  the  cauliflower.  The  vinegar 
should  cover. 

Red  Cabbage. 

To  two  heads  red  cabbage,  chopped  fine,  put  twelve  pep- 
pers, also  chopped  line.  To  a  gallon  of  the  mixture  add  one 
tablespoonful  each  of  cloves  and  ground  cinnamon,  two  of 
salt,  half  a  cup  of  fine  black  mustard-seed,  and  a  few  pepper- 
corns. Mix  well,  lay  it  in  a  stone  jar,  and  pour  over  enough 
boiling  vinegar  to  cover.  Keep  in  a  cool  place.  Pieces  of 
cauliflower  put  in  with  the  cabbage  become  of  a  fine  color. 

Chow-Chow. 

Chop  a  peck  of  green  tomatoes ;  sprinkle  over  them  a 
large  cup  of  salt.  Let  them  stand  twelve  hours  ;  then  drain 
off  the  water,  and  mix  with  them  six  green  peppers,  six 
onions,  and  six  or  eight  large  stalks  of  celery,  all  chopped 
fine.  Mix,  also,  with  two  pounds  of  sugar,  the  following 
spices :  two  tablespoonfuls  of  ground  mustard,  four  of  fine 
black  mustard-seed,  one  each  of  peppercorns,  whole  cloves, 


218  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

ground  cinnamon,  and  mace,  and  half  a  spoonful  of  ground 
pepper.  Put  a  layer  of  the  chopped  mixture  in  a  preserving- 
kettle  ;  then  scatter  over  some  of  the  sugar  and  spice,  and  so 
on  alternately.  Cover  with  vinegar,  and  let  it  simmer  two 
hours. 

Chili  Sauce. 

Peel  and  chop  twelve  large  ripe  tomatoes.  Add  two  peppers 
and  two  onions,  chopped,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  salt,  two  of 
sugar,  one  of  vinegar,  one  of  cinnamon.  Boil  one  hour. 

Currant  Catsup. 

Mix  five  pounds  of  ripe  currants  with  four  of  sugar,  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  cloves,  pounded  fine,  and  two  of  ground  cin- 
namon. Boil  two  hours ;  then  add  a  pint  of  vinegar.  Boil 
up  once,  and  remove  from  the  fire. 

Damsons. 

Boil  five  pounds  of  sugar  in  a  pint  of  vinegar  for  a  few 
minutes.  Skim  ;  then  add  a  peck  of  damsons  with  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  ground  cinnamon  and  one  of  whole  cloves.  Boil 
gently  three  hours,  stirring  frequently. 

To  select  Mushrooms. 

Gather  none  that  grow  near  trees,  that  have  a  rank  smell, 
or  a  yellow  skin :  all  such  are  poisonous.  Good  mushrooms 
are  small  at  first,  white,  and  grow  rapidly  on  a  slender  white 
stalk.  On  the  flaps  beneath,  a  bright  flesh-colored  fringe  ap- 
pears. 

Mushrooms  (an  English  receipt). 

Hub  the  buttons  of  young  mushrooms  with  flannel.  Take 
out  thj|  red  inside.  Put  them  in  a  saucepan  with  bits  of 
mace,  and  sprinkle  with  salt  and  black  pepper.  As  the  liquor 
comes  out,  shake  them  well.  Let  them  simmer  till  nearly  dry ; 

then  cover  with  vinegar,  boil  up  once.     They  are  delicious, 

and  keep  well. 

Mushrooms  are  sometimes  dried  to  use  when  out  of  season. 
Dry  them  in  a  moderate  oven,  and  keep  them  in  paper-bags. 
When  used,  simmer  them  in  gravy.  They  will  swell  to  nearly 
their  original  size. 


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- 


TEA,  COFFEE,  CHOCOLATE,  COCOA,  ETC.        219 


TEA,    COFFEE,    CHOCOLATE,  COCOA,    ETC. 

Tea. 

SEE  that  the  water  boils.  Scald  the  pot,  and  put  in  a  tea- 
spoonful  for  each  person.  Upon  green  tea,  pour  a  little  water, 
and  allow  it  to  stand  two  or  three  minutes  where  it  will  keep 
hot ;  then  fill  the  pot  from  the  teakettle.  Green  tea  should 
never  be  boiled,  a'nd  it  is  rendered  dead  by  being  steeped 
long. 

Of  black  tea  the  same  measure  is  used ;  the  pot  being  filled 
up  at  first,  and  set  immediately  upon  the  stove,  just  long  enough 
to  boil  up  once.  Water  should  be  added  to  the  teapot  from  the 
teakettle ;  never  from  the  water  pot,  as  in  that  case  it  cannot 
be  boiling  hot.  Black  and  green  tea  are  good  mixed.  If  tea 
is  made  from  a  boiling  urn  at  the  table,  which  is,  on  several 
accounts,  a  very  good  practice,  make  black  tea  in  the  same  way 
as  green. 

To  roast  Coffee. 

As  this  must  be  done  well  in  order  to  have  good  coffee,  direc- 
tions for  it  may  not  be  amiss.  There  are  often  little  stones  in 
coffee,  of  the  same  color  with  it ;  therefore,  pick  it  over  care- 
fully. If  you  have  no  coffee-roaster,  put  it  into  a  round-bot- 
tomed, iron  kettle,  and  let  it  be  where  it  will  be  hot  an  hour  or 
two  without  burning ;  then  put  it  where  it  will  brown,  and  stir 
it  constantly  until  it  is  done.  If  it  is  left  half  a  minute,  the 
kernels  next  to  the  kettle  may  be  burnt  black,  and  this  is 
enough  to  injure  all  the  rest.  It  should  be  a  dark,  rich  brown 
but  not  black.  Before  taking  it  up,  stir  in  a  piece  of  butter  the 
size  of  a  small  nut.  Put  it,  while  steaming  hot,  into  a  box  with 
a  close  cover. 

In  a  small  family,  not  more  than  two  pounds  should  be  roasted 
at  once,  as  it  loses  its  freshness  by  being  roasted  long  before 
n.^e.  For  the  same  reason  it  shpuld  be  ground  as  it  is  wanted. 
The  practice  of  grinding  up  a  quantity  for  two  or  three  weeks, 


220  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

is  a  poor  one.  The  best  kinds  are  the  Java  and  the  Mocha , 
and  it  is  considered  an  improvement  to  mix  the  two.  West 
India  coffee,  though  of  a  different  flavor,  is  often  very  good. 

To  make  Coffee. 

Put  a  coffee-cupful  into  a  pot  that  will  hold  three  pints  of 
water;  add  the  white  of  an  egg,  or  two  or  three  clean  eggshells, 
or  a  well  cleansed  and  dried  bit  of  fish-skin  of  the  size  of  a 
ninepence.  Pour  upon  it  boiling  water,  and  boil  it  ten  minutes. 
Then  pour  out  a  little  from  the  spout,  in  order  to  remove  the 
grains  that  may  have  boiled  into  it,  and  pour  it  back  into  the 
pot.  Let  it  stand  eight  or  ten  minutes  where  it  will  keep  hot, 
but  not  boil ;  boiling  coffee  a  great  while  makes  it  strong,  but 
not  so  lively  or  agreeable.  If  you  have  no  cream,  boil  a  sauce- 
pan of  milk,  and  after  pouring  it  into  the  pitcher,  stir  it  now 
and  then  till  the  breakfast  is  ready,  that  the  cream  may  not 
separate  from  the  milk. 

If  you  use  a  coffee-biggin,  let  the  coffee  be  ground  very  fine 
and  packed  tight  in  the  strainer ;  pour  on  boiling  water,  stop 
the  spout  of  the  pot,  shut  the  lid  close,  and  place  it  upon  a 
heater  kept  for  the  purpose.  This  is  made  at  the  table. 

CofFee  Milk. 

Put  a  dessert  spoonful  of  ground  coffee  into  a  pint  of  milk  ; 
boil  it  a  quarter  of  an  hour  with  a  shaving  or  two  of  isinglass  ; 
then  let  it  stand  ten  minutes  and  pour  it  off. 

Chocolate. 

For  those  who  use  a  great  deal  of  chocolate,  the  following  is 
an  economical  method.  Cut  a  cake  into  small  bits  and  put 
them  into  a  pint  of  boiling  water.  In  a  few  minutes  set  it  off 
the  fire  and  stir  it  well  till  the  chocolate  is  dissolved ;  then  boil 
it  again  gently  a  few  minutes,  pour  it  into  a  bowl,  and  set  it  in 
a  cool  place.  It  will  keep  good  eight  or  ten  days.  For  use, 
boil  a  spoonful  or  two  in  a  pint. of  milk,  with  sugar. 


CHOCOLATE,  SHELLS,  SYRUP  OF  CREAM.         221 

Another. 

Shave  fine  an  inch  wide  across  a  cake  of  chocolate  ;  pour  on 
it  a  quart  of  boiling  water  ;  boil  it  twenty  minutes  ;  add  milk  in 
such  proportion  as  you  like,  and  boil  it  up  again. 

Cocoa. 

The  cracked  cocoa  is  considered  the  best.  Two  large  spoon- 
fuls put  into  three  pints  of  cold  water,  and  boiled  from  one  to 
two  hours,  is  a  good  rule  to  make  it  for  four  or  five  persons.  It 
should  be  boiled  over  several  times,  as  it  is  very  strong.  Boil 
milk  for  it  by  itself. 

To  make  the  ground  Cocoa. 

Boil  two  large  spoonfuls  in  a  quart  of  water  half  an  hour ; 
skim  off  the  oil,  pour  in  three  gills  of  milk,  and  boil  it  up  again. 
It  is  the  best  way  to  make  it  the  day  before  it  is  used,  as  the 
oily  substance  can  be  more  perfectly  removed  when  the  cocoa  is 
cold. 

Shells. 

Put  a  heaping  teacupful  to  a  quart  of  boiling  water.  Boil 
them  a  great  while.  Half  an  hour  will  do,  but  two  or  three 
hours  is  far  better.  Scald  milk  as  for  coffee.  If  there  is  not 
time  to  boil  shells  long  enough  before  breakfast,  it  is  well  to  put 
them  into  the  water  over  night. 

Syrup  of  Cream. 

To  a  pint  of  fresh  cream,  put  a  pound  and  a  quarter  of  loaf 
sugar ;  boil  it  in  an  earthen  pot  or  saucepan  ;  pour  it  into  a 
jar  or  basin,  and  let  it  stand  till  it  is  cold ;  then  put  it  into 
phials  and  cork  close.  It  will  keep  good  for  several  weeks,  and 
is  convenient  to  carry  to  sea. 

To  raise  a  Thick  Cream. 

Put  new  milk  into  an  earthen  pan,  and  set  it  on  a  stove,  or 
over  clear  embers  till  it  is  quite  hot.  Then  set  it  aside  till  the 
next  day,  and  it  will  produce  excellent  cream  for  coffee  or  fruit. 


222  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 


CONVENIENT    COMMON    DISHES,    AND 
WAYS    OF    USINO    REMNANTS. 

Baked  Pork  and  Beans. 

FOR  a  family  of  six  or  seven,  take  a  quart  of  white  beans, 
wash  them  in  several  waters,  and  put  them  into  two  or  three 
quarts  over  night.  In  the  morning  (when  it  will  be  easier  to 
cull  out  the  bad  ones,  than  before  they  were  soaked),  pick  them 
over,  and  boil  them  until  they  begin  to  crack  open  ;  then  put 
them  into  a  brown  pan,  such  as  are  made  for  the  purpose.  Pour 
upon  them  enough  of  the  water  they  were  boiled  in  almost  to 
cover  them.  Cut  the  rind  of  about  a  pound  of  salt  pork  into 
narrow  strips ;  lay  it  on  the  top  of  the  beans,  and  press  it  down 
so  that  it  will  lie  more  than  half  its  thickness  in  the  water. 
Bake  several  hours  ;  four  or  five  is  not  too  much.  Where  a 
brick  oven  is  used,  it  is  well  to  let  beans  remain  in  it  over  night. 
If  they  are  baked  in  a  stove,  or  range,  more  water  may  be 
necessary,  before  they  are  done.  Good  with  les^  pork. 

Many  persons  think  it  a  decided  improvement  to  put  in  a 
large  spoonful  or  two  of  molasses.  It  is  a  very  good  way. 

Those  who  object  to  the  use  of  pork,  can  have  a  very  good 
dish  of  beans,  by  substituting  two  table-spoonfuls  of  nice  beef- 
drippings,  and  adding  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt. 

To  heat  over  baked  beans,  put  them  in  a  spider  with  a  little 
water ;  heat  them  slowly  at  first,  and  cover  close.  If  they  are 
too  moist,  remove  the  cover  and  stir  them  often. 

Salt  meat  and  Vegetables,  boiled  together. 

Put  in  the  beef  first,  and  allow  twenty-five  minutes  or  half 
an  hour  for  every  pound.  Skim  the  water  when  it  begins  to 
simmer.  An  hour  and  a  half  before  the  dinner-hour,  put  in  the 
pork,  well  scraped  and  washed,  and  again  skim  off  the  froth. 
Wash  the  vegetables  with  special  care,  and  allow  for  boiling 
turnips,  carrots,  and  cabbage,  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  quarter ; 


REMNANTS  OF  ROAST  BEEF.  223 

for  parsnips  three  quarters,  and  for  potatoes,  half  an  hour.  If 
the  potatoes  are  not  pared,  a  small  piece  of  the  skin  should  be 
cut  off  from  each  end.  When  the  dinner  is  served,  the  pot 
should  be  set  away  in  a  cool  place,  and  the  fat  taken  from  the 
top  the  next  day,  and  put  aside  for  soap  grease.  It  will  not  be 
good  for  any  other  use,  as  it  will  have  the  flavor  of  the  vege- 
tables. 

Remnants  of  Hoast  Beef. 

Take  off  with  a  sharp  knife  all  the  meat  from  the  bones.  If 
there  are  a  few  nice  slices,  reserve  them,  if  most  convenient,  to 
be  eaten  cold.  Chop  the  rest  fine  in  a  tray.  Take  cold  gravy, 
without  the  fat,  and  put  into  a  spider  to  heat.  If  you  have  not 
this,  some  of  the  stock,  or  water  in  which  meat  has  been  boiled. 
When  it  boils  up,  sprinkle  in  salt,  and  put  in  the  minced  meat ; 
cover  it,  and  let  it  stand  upon  the  fire  long  enough  to  heat 
thoroughly,  then  stir  in  a  small  piece  of  butter.  Toast  bread 
and  lay  in  the  dish  and  put  the  meat  over  it.  The  common 
error  in  heating  over  meat,  sliced  or  minced,  is  the  putting  it 
into  a  cold  spider,  with  too  much  fat,  and  cooking  it  a  long  time. 
This  makes  it  oily  and  tasteless.  Almost  all  meats,  when 
cooked  a  second  time,  should  be  done  very  quick.  The  good- 
ness of  these  dishes  depends  much  upon  their  being  otrved  hot. 

Another. 

When  tomatoes  are  to  be  had,  cut  up  several,  according  to 
the  size  of  your  family,  and  the  quantity  of  cold  meat ;  put 
them  into  a  covered  saucepan  or  kettle.  When  it  boils  put 
in  the  remnants,  large  and  small,  of  cold  roast  beef,  and  also  of 
roast  mutton  and  lamb,  if  you  have  them.  Add  half  a  spoonful 
of  brown  sugar,  salt,  and  a  small  bit  of  butter  unless  you  have 
cold  gravy.  This,  with  the  fat  taken  off,  is  nearly  as  good. 
Boil  it  again,  fast,  but  only  long  enough  to  heat  the  meat  thor- 
oughly. Five  minutes  is  enough. 


224  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Remnants  of  Boiled  Meat 

Chop  fine  cold  pieces  of  soup  meat,  or  other  boiled  meat,  salt 
or  fresh ;  then  add  cold  potatoes,  and  when  these  are  chopped 
and  mixed  with  the  meat,  heat  in  a  spider  some  cold  soup,  or 
water  in  which  meat  has  been  boiled.  As  it  boils  up,  put  in 
the  meat  and  potatoes,  add  salt,  and  cover  it  close  for  two  or 
three  minutes,  then  stir  in  a  small  piece  of  butter,  let  it  stand  a 
minute  or  two  longer  and  then  serve  in  a  warm  dish. 

Croquettes  of  Beef  or  VeaL 

Chop  cold  beef  fine,  with  an  onion.  Add  sweet  marjoram, 
salt  and  pepper  to  your  taste,  and  enough  gravy  to  moisten 
slightly.  Make  into  balls,  dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in  fine 
crumbs  or  flour,  and  fry  till  brown  in  pork  or  beef  fat. 

Veal  croquettes  are  made  in  the  same  way,  but  omitting 
the  onion,  and  using  mace  instead  of  sweet  marjoram. 

Minced  Veal. 

Chop  fine  the  pieces  left  of  roast  veal.  Heat  the  gravy  in  a 
spider,  or,  if  you  have  none  left,  melt  a  piece  of  butter  half  the 
size  of  an  egg  in  a  gill  of  hot  water ;  stir  it  till  it  is  melted  lest 
it  becdme  oily.  When  it  boils,  put  in  the  veal  and  cover  it ; 
stir  it  two  or  three  times  in  the  course  of  eight  or  ten  minutes ; 
season  it  with  salt  and  pepper.  Toast  two  or  three  slices  of 
bread  and  lay  in  the  dish.  Put  the  veal  upon  the  toast. 

Brawn. 

Boil  a  hock  of  beef,  and  any  little  pieces  you  may  have  be- 
sides, several  hours.  When  the  meat  is  ready  to  fall  from  the 
bones,  take  it  out  into  an  earthen  pan,  salt  it,  and  season  it  with 
pepper,  sage,  and  sweet  marjoram.  Put  it  into  a  coarse  linen 
cloth  or  towel,  twist  it  up  tight  and  lay  a  weight  upon  it.  A 
good  deal  of  fat  will  thus  be  pressed  out.  When  it  has  lain 
twenty-four  hours  take  off  the  cloth.  Cut  thin  slices  for  breakfast. 
It  is  very  good,  and  will  keep  in  a  cool  place  several  weeks. 
The  water  in  which  it  was  boiled  will  make  excellent  soup,  or 
stock  for  gravies. 


TURKEY-HASH,    CHICKEN-PATTIES,   BEEF-PIE.  225 

Turkey  Hash. 

A  good-sized  turkey  will  make  two  dinners  for  a  small 
family,  —  the  first  day  hot,  the  next  cold;  then  there  usu- 
ally remain  some  good  pieces,  and  bones  which  have  nice 
pickings  on  them,  also  some  of  the  dressing  and  gravy.  A 
good  breakfast  dish  is  made  by  cutting  up  all  that  remains  of 
the  turkey,  heating  the  gravy,  with  a  little  hot  water  added, 
and  putting  the  meat,  bones,  stuffing,  and  cold  sliced  potatoes, 
into  the  boiling  gravy.  Heat  thoroughly,  and  serve  in  a  hot 
covered  dish. 

Use  the  remnants  of  cold  roast  or  boiled  chickens  in  the 
same  way. 

Chicken  Patties, 

Line  small  patty  pans  with  pie-crust.  'Then  bake,  and 
turn  out  on  a  small  platter.  Have  ready  remnants  of  cold 
chicken,  chopped  fine,  mixed  with  a  little  cream,  salt,  and 
pepper,  and  quickly  heated  in  a  saucepan.  Fill  the  patties 
with  the  hot  chicken,-  and  send  them  to  the  table. 

Cold  veal  may  be  used  in  the  same  way,  but  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a  very  little  mace,  powdered. 

Beef  Pie. 

Cut  cold  roast  or  stewed  beef  in  slices .  Sprinkle  with 
flour,  pepper,  and  salt,  and  lay  them  in  a  dish  that  will  hold 
a  quart.  The  dish  should  not  be  quite  full.  Cut  an  onion 
fine,  and  spread  over  the  meat.  Boil  up  a  little  gravy,  or 
water  in  which  meat  has  been  boiled.  Thicken  slightly  with 
browned  flour ;  melt  in  it  a  small  piece  of  butter ;  and  then 
pour  over  the  meat.  The  gravy  should  not  quite  half  fill  the 
dish.  Spread  over,  a  batter  of  eight  large  potatoes,  boiled, 
mashed  with  a  little  butter  or  cream,  salt,  and  two  beaten 
eggs.  •  Put  it  over  the  meat  about  an  inch  thick.  Bake  till 
brown,  which  will  require  about  half  an  hour. 

Instead  of  a  cover  of  potatoes,  you  can  place  ripe  tomatoes, 
peeled,  upon  the  meat,  and  sprinkle  with  salt,  sugar,  pepper, 


226  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

crumbs,  and  bits  of  butter.  In  that  case  use  less  gravy,  ana 
bake  longer,  —  nearly  an  hour.  Cold  lamb  and  mutton  may 
also  be  used  in  this  way. 

Pressed  Veal  (for  lunch  or  tea). 

Boil  a  shin  of  veal  in  four  quarts  of  water  until  tiie  meat 
is  soft  enough  to  allow  the  bones  to  be  taken  out,  and  the 
water  is  nearly  boiled  away.  Chop  the  meat  fine  ;  season  it 
with  powdered  mace,  pepper,  salt,  and  add  two  crackers, 
pounded  and  sifted,  and  parsley  cut  small.  Mix  well  to- 
gether with  the  water  that  remains  in  the  kettle,  and  put  it 
all  into  a  bowl  previously  wet  with  cold  water.  As  you  fill 
the  bowl,  insert  here  and  there  slices  of  two  or  three  hard- 
boiled  eggs.  Put  a  plate  over  the  bowl  that  will  fit  closely  ; 
set  a  weight  upon  it,  and  let  it  stand  till  the  next  day.  Cut 
in  slices. 

Vegetable  Hash  with  Dropped  Eggs. 

Mince  boiled  salt  meat  fine  ;  then  add  cold  boiled  potatoes, 
beets,  and  turnips,  also  chopped  fine.  Put  stock  or  meat-liquor 
into  the  spider,  and  when  it  boils  stir  in  the  minced  meat  and 
vegetables,  a  small  piece  of  butter,  pepper,  and  a  little  salt 
(not  as  much  salt  as  if  the  meat  were  fresh).  Put  it  into  a 
buttered  dish,  and  set  it  into  the  oven  to  brown.  Drop  two  or 
four  or  more  eggs,  according  to  the  number  at  the  table,  and 
lay  them  on  the  top.  Sprinkle  salt  on  the  eggs,  lay  on  them 
thin  shavings  of  butter,  and  serve. 

Hashed  Beef  or  Mutton. 

Cut  the  meat  in  very  thin  slices  ;  flour  both  sides ;  put  it 
in  a  deep  dish  ;  sprinkle  each  layer  with  salt  and  pepper ; 
add  sliced  potatoes  in  alternate  layers.  When  the  meat  and 
potatoes  are  all  laid  in  the  dish,  put  an  onion  in  the  centre, 
cut  it  in  quarters,  and  stick  one  clove  in  each  quarter ;  then 
pour  over  the  whole  some  gravy  or  stock  which  you  have 
boiled  up  and  thickened  with  scorched  flour.  Cover  close 
with  an  old  plate.  Bake  two  hours  in  a  moderate  oven. 


HEAD-CHEESE,   SOUSE,   BOILED   RICE.  227 

Head  Cheese. 

Take  the  head,  feet,  ears,  and  tail  of  a  hog,  and  boil  them 
until  every  bone  falls  out.  Then  take  all  the  meat,  both  fat 
and  lean,  and  put  into  an  earthen  pan.  Season  it  with  salt, 
pepper,  sage,  cloves,  and  summer  savory,  or  any  spice  and 
herbs  you  may  prefer.  Put  it  into  a  coarse  cloth,  twist  it  up, 
and  lay  a  weight  upon  it.  This  is  a  favorite  article  of  food  in 
some  parts  of  the  country,  and  certainly  it  is  very  good.  Great 
care  is  necessary  in  cleaning  such  giblets  of  pork. 

Another  economical  use  for  them  is  to  take  out  all  the  bones, 
as  for  head  cheese,  and  then  return  the  meat  to  the  liquor,  boil 
it  up,  and  stir  in  Indian  meal,  just  as  in  making  hasty-pudding. 
Put  in  considerable  salt,  and  let  it  boil  very  moderately  another 
hour  and  a  half.  Then  take  it  up  in  deep  dishes,  and  when  it 
is  cold  cut  it  in  slices  and  brown  it  on  a  griddle.  A  convenient 
breakfast  article  for  laborers,  but  too  hearty  for  persons  of 
sedentary  habits. 

Souse, 

Take  off  the  horny  parts  of  the  feet  and  toes  of  a  pig,  and 
clean  the  feet,  ears,  and  tail  very  thoroughly ;  then  boil  them 
till  the  large  bones  slip  out  easily.  Pack  the  meat  into  a  stone 
jar,  with  pepper,  salt,  and  allspice  sprinkled  between  each  layer. 
Mix  some  good  cider  vinegar  with  the  liquor  in  which  it  was 
boiled,  in  the  proportion  of  one  third  vinegar  to  two  thirds 
liquor,  and  fill  up  the  jar. 

To  boil  Rice. 

Rice  should  be  carefully  picked  over,  and  then  washed  first 
in  warm  water,  and  rubbed  between  the  hands ;  then,  five  or 
six  times  in  a  good  deal  of  cold  water.  It  will  not  be  white 
unless  it  is  well  washed. 

To  cook  rice  as  a  vegetable  to  be  eaten  with  meat,  put  a  pint 
into  three  or  four  quarts  of  hot  water,  with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt 
for  each  quart.  Boil  it  fast  fifteen  minutes,  then  pour  off  the 
water,  and  set  it,  uncovered  upon  the  stove  where  it  will  not 


228  THE   YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

burn,  to  dry.  Boiled  in  this  way,  the  kernels  are  separate,  and 
it  is  considered,  by  those  who  live  in  the  rice  growing  countries, 
the  best,  if  not  the  only  proper  way  of  cooking  it. 

To  boil  rice  in  milk,  is  a  very  good  way  for  families  that 
keep  cows,  as  it  is  thus  a  nice  substitute  for  a  pudding.  Put  a 
pint  of  rice  into  nearly  two  quarts  of  cold  milk,  an  hour  before 
dinner.  Add  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt.  Boil  it  very  slowly, 
and  stir  it  often.  It  will  cook  on  the  back  part  of  the  range  or 
stove,  and  not  be  liable  to  burn.  When  the  supply  of  milk  is 
small,  boil  rice  in  skimmed  milk,  or  milk  and  water.  It  should, 
when  boiled  in  a  way  to  lose  the  distinct  form  of  the  kernels, 
be  taken  up  in  a  mould,  or  bowl,  wet  in  cold  water,  a  short  time 
before  it  is  served. 

Cracked  Wheat. 

Take  one  or  two  quarts,  according  to  the  size  of  the  family, 
put  it  into  cold  water  and  after  stirring  it  well,  let  it  settle,  then 
pour  off  the  water,  and  add  more,  in  the  proportion  of  three 
quarts  to  a  quart  of  wheat.  Let  it  stand  over  night,  and  the 
next  day  boil  it  very  moderately  two  or  three  hours  in  a  tin 
pail  set  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water.  If  it  becomes  too 
thick,  add  more  water.  The  evaporation  is  more  rapid  at  some 
times  than  at  others.  It  should  be  not  quite  as  thick  as  hasty 
pudding.  Take  it  up  in  dishes  wet  in  cold  water.  To  brown 
it  for  breakfast,  grease  a  tin  or  dripping  pan,  turn  the  wheat  out 
of  the  dish  upon  it,  and  set  it  into  the  stove  oven.  It  will  be- 
come heated  through,  and  handsomely  browned  in  half  an  hour 
or  forty  minutes,  and  many  people  like  it  thus,  better  than  when 
it  is  first  boiled.  Either  way  it  is  very  nutritious  and  healthful. 

Hasty  Pudding. 

Boil  in  a  pot  or  kettle  about  six  quarts  of  water,  leaving 
room  for  the  addition  of  the  meal ;  mix  a  pint  bowl  full  o^ 
Indian  meal  and  cold  water  with  a  small  spoonful  of  salt. 
When  the  water  boils,  stir  this  into  it.  After  thirty  or  forty 
minutes,  stir  in  four  or  five  handfuls  of  dry  meal,  and  let  it  boil 


HASTY-PUDDING,   HOMINY.  229 

as  much  longer  ;  then  add  more  dry  meal.  Taste  it  to  see  if  it 
is  salt  enough.  Stir  it  very  often  to  prevent  its  burning.  Most 
people  make  it  too  thick,  and  do  not  cook  it  half  long  enough. 
Boil  it,  altogether,  at  least  two  hours.  When  taken  out,  it 
should  be  so  soft  that  it  will  in  a  few  minutes  settle  down 
smooth  in  the  dish.  If  you  wish  to  fry  it,  put  a  spoonful  of 
water  into  each  deep  pan  or  dish  into  which  it  is  to  be  put,  to 
keep  it  from  sticking. 

Hasty  Pudding  fried, 

Cut  cold  pudding  in  slices  the  thickness  of  your  finger,  and 
lay  them  on  the  griddle.  More  fat  will  be  necessary  than  for 
buckwheat  cakes,  but  it  fries  much  slower.  If  the  fire  is  right 
to  will  be  ready  to  turn  in  fifteen  minutes,  and  will  be  brown. 
Turn  it  and  let  it  lie  about  half  as  long  as  on  the  first  side. 

This  is  a  very  good  breakfast  for  a  winter  morning.  It  does 
very  nicely  to  be  laid  in  the  dripping-pan,  and  set  into  a  stove 
oven  ;  it  will  in  that  case  not  need  turning,  and  of  course  will 
absorb  less  fat.  It  will  take  forty  minutes  to  brown  it  in  the 
stove. 

Hominy,  Boiled  and  Fried, 

Take  a  pint  of  hominy,  put  cold  water  over  it,  stir,  and  let 
it  settle;  then  pour  off  the  water.  Do  this  twice;  then  put 
it  into  a  tin  pudding-pan  or  pail,  in  three  pints  of  water  to 
soak  over  night.  In  the  morning  set  the  pail  into  a  kettle  of 
boiling  water;  add  a  little  salt;  stir  it  often.  If  it  becomes 
so  thick  as  not  to  stir  easily,  add  more  water.  It  should  be 
just  thick  enough,  when  done,  to  settle  down  almost  smooth 
soon,  in  a  deep  dish.  Fine  hominy  will  cook  in  two  hours; 
the  coarse  requires  three.  Very  nice  eaten  warm  with  milk. 

To  fry  it  for  breakfast,  slice  it  about  half  an  inch  thick, 
and  lay  it  on  a  griddle  greased  with  nice  beef-drippings  or 
butter.  It  will  require  about  fifteen  minutes  to  brown  both 
sides.  The  coarse  does  not  fry  as  nicely  as  the  fine. 


230  THE   YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Oat-meal  Pudding  (for  breakfast). 

Have  a  pint  of  water  in  a  saucepan.  Wet  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  oat-meal  in  cold  water,  with  a  small  teaspoonful  of 
salt.  Rub  it  smooth  as  you  can  (it  will  not  rub  smooth  as 
flour),  then  stir  it  into  the  boiling  water,  and  boil  slowly  half 
an  hour.  Stir  it  often.  Should  it  be  too  thin  after  it  has  boiled 
about  twenty  minutes,  scatter  in  a  little  more  oat-meal,  dry ; 
if  too  thick,  add  more  water.  Eat  with  sugar  and  cream. 

There  is  much  difference  in  oat-meal.  Be  sure  and  get 
fresh,  sweet  Scotch  oat-meal. 

Baked  Rice. 

Wash  an  even  cupful  of  rice.  Butter  a  dish  that  holds  a 
large  quart ;  put  in  the  rice  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  pour 
cold  milk,  or,  if  you  have  not  plenty,  milk  and.  water,  upon 
the  rice ;  then  drop  upon  the  top  three  or  four  bits  of  but- 
ter the  size  of  a  bean.  This  will  prevent  the  top  from  burn- 
ing. Set  the  dish  into  a  moderately-hot  stove-oven  an  hour 
and  a  half  before  dinner.  To  be  eaten  with  sugar  and  milk 
or  cream.  This  is  a  beautiful  looking  dish.  If  it  becomes 
too  dry,  pour  a  little  milk  over  the  top  before  taking  it  from 
the  oven. 

Pan  Pie. 

The  sour  apples  that  drop  from  the  trees  early  in  the  autumn, 
make  an  excellent  pan  pie  without  being  pared.  The  skin  then 
contains  much  of  the  richness  of  the  apple,  and  is  often  so  thin, 
that  when  cooked,  it  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  pulp. 
There  are  few  articles  of  diet  so  healthy  and  palatable  as  pan 
pie,  that  are  prepared  with  so  little  trouble  and  expense. 

Where  a  brick  oven  is  used,  the  following  is  a  good  receipt. 

Take  a  potters  ware  pan,  that  will  hold  a  gallon,  and  fill  it 
with  apples,  quartered  and  cored ;  in  winter  pare  the  apples ; 
roll  out  a  piece  of  light  bread  dough,  and  lay  upon  the  top  ;  but- 
ter the  edge  of  the  pan  to  prevent  the  dough  from  sticking  to 
it ;  cut  an  opening  in  the  crust  to  allow  the  steam  to  escape, 
and  put  it  into  the  oven.  After  about  two  hours  draw  it  out 
and  remove  the  crust,  sweeten  it  with  good  molasses,  or,  if  you 


PAN   PIE CRUMB    CAKES.  231 

choose,  coarse  sugar.  Some  persons  use  both.  Put  in  a  few 
sticks  of  cinnamon  or  some  allspice,  and  a  piece  of  butter  as 
large  as  a  nut.  Stir  it  up  thoroughly  from  the  bottom.  Your 
taste  must  guide  you  as  to  the  quantity  of  sugar  or  molasses. 
Break  up  the  bread  crust  and  put  into  the  apple.  If  it  is  very 
moist,  return  the  pan  uncovered  to  the  oven ;  but  if  dry  enough, 
cover  it  with  an  old  plate ;  let  it  stand  four  or  five  hours. 

There  are  various  ways  of  making  this  dish.  Some  persons 
prefer  to  put  in  the  molasses  at  first,  and  others  use  only 
sugar.  It  is  very  easy  to  jmprove  it  by  rolling  a  little  butter 
into  the  dough,  exactly  as  in  pie-crust ;  and  if  this  is  done 
once  only,  it  makes  the  crust  much  more  tender.  Some  per- 
sons put  any  crusts  or  pieces  of  bread  they  happen  to  have,  into 
the  -apple,  and  if  the  crust  that  was  baked  with  it  is  thin,  it  is  a 
very  good  way. 

Another. 

To  make  a  pan  pie  to  bake  in  a  stove  oven,  or  range,  cover 
the  bottom  of  a  deep  dish  with  a  layer  of  stewed  apple ;  spread 
over  it  brown  sugar  enough  to  make  it  sweet,  scatter  in  a  little 
powdered  cinnamon,  and  add  two  or  three  bits  of  butter  the  size 
of  a  filbert ;  then  lay  in  pieces  of  plain  pie  crust  or  biscuit, 
baked  rather  brown,  or  crusts  of  light  bread ;  spread  a  thick 
layer  of  apple  over  the  pieces,  scatter  more  cinnamon,  and  pour 
over  the  whole  molasses  enough  to  sweeten  the  upper  layer  of 
apple,  then  bake  it  in  a  moderate  heat  an  hour  and  a  half,  or 
two  hours.  It  is  the  best  way  to  make  it  while  the  stewed  apple 
is  hot. 

Crumb  Cakes. 

Keep  a  bowl  or  pitcher  with  sour  milk  in  it,  and  from  time  to 
time  throw  in  the  crumbs  of  bread  which  break  off  when  it  is 
sliced,  and  also  the  dry  pieces  left  of  the  table.  When  you 
next  want  griddle-cakes,  take  this  mixture  and  break  up  all  the 
pieces  with  your  hand,  add  an  egg,  salt,  and  saleratus,  and  a 
few  spoonfuls  of  flour.  If  the  proportion  of  bread  is  too  great, 


232  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

the  cakes  will  not  be  good.     Experience  must  teach,  as  no 
exact  rule  can  be  given. 

Milk  Toast 

Put  a  quart  of  milk,  except  two  or  three  spoonfuls,  to  boil ; 
rub  smooth  a  small  table-spoonful  of  flour  in  the  reserved  milk ; 
when  that  in  the  saucepan  begins  to  boil,  stir  in  a  piece  of  but- 
ter, rather  larger  than  an  egg,  cut  up  in  little  bits.  Stir  stead- 
ily until  it  is  all  melted ;  then  stir  in  the  flour,  and  add  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt.  When  it  boils  up  again,  set  it  where  it  will 
keep  hot,  without  boiling,  while  the  bread  is  toasted.  Bread  is 
not  good  when  it  is  dried  in  the  process  of  toasting ;  it  should  be 
browned  quickly,  and  dipped  while  it  is  hot. 

If  you  have  cream,  boil  it  without  adding  any  butter ;  when 
boiled,  put  in  a  little  salt,  and  a  very  little  flour  rubbed  smooth 
in  a  spoonful  of  milk  ;  dip  the  slices  of  toasted  bread,  and  let 
them  remain  half  a  minute  ;  then  lay  them  into  a  hot  dish  with 
a  cover,  and  pour  over  the  remainder  of  the  boiled  cream. 
Maizena  is  much  better  than  flour  for  milk-toast. 

Bruiss, 

Take  crusts  of  brown  bread,  and  if  they  are  dry  and  hard, 
lay  them  over  night  in  a  little  water.  In  the  morning  add  milk 
and  boil  them  slowly.  Take  care  they  do  not  burn.  Sprinkle 
in  salt,  and  just  before  you  take  them  up,  add  a  little  butter.  If 
there  is  too  much  milk,  take  off  the  lid  the  latter  part  of  the 
time.  Take  up  the  pieces  as  whole  as  you  can. 

Crusts  of  white  bread  make  a  good  breakfast  dish,  in 
the  same  way,  except  that  they  do  not  need  soaking  over 
night. 

Uses  for  pieces  of  Bread. 

In  some  families  there  is  always  an  accumulation  of  pieces  of 
bread,  and  a  good  deal  of  ingenuity  is  necessary  to  prevent 
waste.  If  bread  is  good,  and  proper  care  is  taken,  such  a  thing 
as  a  plate  of  dry  pieces  is  needless.  Some  families  never  have 
them.  But  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  from  any  cause,  cannot 


CARE    OP   FAT   AND    DRIPPINGS.  233 

always  prevent  it,  the  following  modes  for  making  good  use  of 
pieces  are  suggested.  A  bread  pudding  is  easily  made,  by 
boiling  the  pieces  in  milk.  You  can  make  as  rich  a  pudding  as 
you  choose,  by  adding  sugar,  eggs,  suet,  spice,  and  raisins  ;  or 
as  plain  a  one,  putting  no  sugar,  two  eggs,  and  a  few  sliced 
apples  to  a  quart  of  milk,  and  boil  or  bake  it.  Make  crumb 
cakes  of  some  of  the  pieces.  Boil  a  dish  of  others  in  milk  for 
breakfast.  If  you  are  cooking  meat  that  requires  or  admits  of 
a  stuffing,  soften  crusts  with  a  very  little  boiling  water,  add 
butter,  herbs,  and  a  beaten  egg.  In  summer,  when  bread  be- 
comes mouldy  from  long  keeping,  lay  the  pieces  which  cannot 
be  used  immediately,  upon  a  tin  and  dry  them  in  the  oven ; 
they  are  as  good  pounded  for  puddings  and  crumb  cakes  as 
before  drying,  and  as  nice  to  dress  a  ham  as  cracker  crumbs. 
Nice  pieces  of  bread  are  good  in  pan  pie,  and  also  in  stewed 
tomato. 

It  is  a  good  way  to  have  a  small  board  upon  which  to  slice 
bread ;  and  brush  the  crumbs  from  it  into  a  box,  or  dish  kept 
for  the  purpose.  Such  things  may  seem  of  little  consequence, 
but  the  beneficial  influence  of  economical  habits  is  not  limited 
to  the  actual  value  of  the  amount  saved. 

Care  of  Fat  and  Drippings. 

In  a  large  family,  where  much  meat  is  consumed,  the  care  of 
the  fat  and  drippings  is  an  important  item  ;  and  every  house- 
keeper should  know  what  is  done  with  them.*  If  she  has  a 
young  cook,  she  probably  will  not  be  acquainted  with  the  vari- 
ous ways  of  preventing  them  from  being  wasted  ;  if  one  who  is 
experienced,  she  may  not  always  care  to  take  the  trouble. 
When  meat  is  of  a  superior  quality,  there  is  usually  some  fat 
which  should  be  trimmed  off  before  it  is  cooked,  and  more  will 
then  roast  out,  than  can  be  properly  used  for  gravy ;  therefore, 
about  three  quarters  of  an  hour  before  the  meat  is  done,  pour 


*  The  custom  of  giving  them  to  the  cook  as  her  perquisite,  besides  being 
wasteful,is  productive  of  various  evils. 


234  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

off  all  the  drippings  from  the  roaster,  into  a  dish,  and  set  them 
away  to  cool.*  Save  all  the  nice  pieces  of  fat,  and  put  those 
that  are  not  so  into  the  soap-grease.  In  warm  weather,  the 
good  pieces  should  be  clarified  once  in  three  or  four  days  ;  in 
winter,  once  a  week.  If  you  have  boiled  lamb,  or  boiled  beef 
which  has  been  slightly  salted,  take  the  fat  which  cools  on  the 
top  of  the  liquor,  and  add  to  that  poured  off  from  the  roaster ; 
scrape  off  any  specks  which  may  be  on  the  under  side  of  it. 
To  clarify,  cut  small  all  the  pieces  saved,  and  put  them  into  a 
small  kettle  ;  cover  it,  and  put  it  on  the  stove  or  range  where 
it  will  not  burn.  It  should  be  tried  slowly  ;  stir  it  occasionally. 
When  it  looks  clear,  the  cakes  of  drippings,  the  pieces  from  the 
top  of  the  pot,  &c.,  should  be  added.  As  soon  as  it  again  be- 
comes clear,  pour  it  through  a  little  sieve,  or  colander  with  very 
small  holes. 

Fat  thus  clarified  will  save  butter.  It  makes  very  good 
plain  gingerbread  and  common  pie-crust,  or  if  preferred^  can  be 
used  in  each  of  these  with  half  butter ;  it  is  as  good  as  lard,  to 
fry  doughnuts  or  biscuit,  and  much  more  healthful ;  and  though 
not  equal  for  frying  fish,  to  salt  pork,  does  very  well  for  this 
purpose.  It  is  well  to  keep  a  small  stone  jar  for  such  fat.  A 
brown  earthen  one  soon  becomes  saturated  with  it,  and  smells 
disagreeably. 

The  fat  of  mutton  should  not  be  put  with  other  kinds,  as  it  is 
very  hard  and  tallow-like,  and  the  taste  is  not  agreeable.  It 
however  does  very  well  to  use  on  the  griddle,  or  to  grease  pans 
for  bread. 

The  fat  which  is  not  nice  enough  for  any  of  these  uses,  should 
(unless  it  is  more  convenient  to  dispose  of  it  to  the  soap  boiler) 
be  tried  for  the  purpose  of  making  soap.  It  should  be  kept  in 
a  dry  place  where  it  will  not  mould,  and  be  covered  so  that  flies 
will  not  visit  it.  Two  receipts  are  given  (see  page  235)  for 
making  soap  with  very  little  trouble. 

*  See  the  directions  for  making  gravies. 


TO    MAKE    SOAP.  235 

To  make  Soap  with  Potash. 

Allow  sixteen  pounds  each  of  grease  and  potash  for  a  barrel 
of  soap.  The  grease  should  be  such  as  has  been  well  taken 
care  of,  viz.,  tried  before  it  became  wormy  or  mouldy.  The 
potash  should  be  about  the  color  of  pumice-stone.  That  which 
is  red,  makes  dark  soap,  unfit  for  washing  clothes.  Cut  up  the 
grease  into  pieces  of  two  or  three  ounces,  put  it  into  a  tight  bar- 
rel with  the  potash ;  then  pour  in  two  pailfuls  of  rain  or  spring 
water.  The  soap  will  be  soonest  made  by  heating  the  water, 
but  it  is  just  as  sure  to  be  good  if  made  with  cold  water.  Add 
a  pailful  of  soft  water  every  day,  until  the  barrel  is  half  full, 
and  stir  it  well  each  day.  A  long  stick  with  a  cross  piece  at 
the  lower  end,  is  convenient  for  the  purpose.  When  the  barrel 
is  half  full,  add  no  more  water  for  a  week  or  ten  days,  but  con- 
tinue to  stir  it  daily.  After  that,  add  a  pailful  a  day,  until  the 
barrel  is  full.  It  is  the  best  way  to  keep  soap  three  or  four 
months  before  beginning  to  use  it.  It  spends  more  economically, 
and  is  less  sharp  to  the  hands.  When  half  of  it  has  been  used, 
put  two  pails  of  soft  water  to  the  rest,  and  stir  it  up  well,  from, 
the  bottom.  The  lower  half  of  a  barrel  of  home-made  soap  is 
always  the  strongest.  Soft  soap,  made  with  clean  grease  and 
good  potash  is  of  a  light  nankeen  color,  and  is  better  for  wash- 
ing flannels  and  white  clothes  than  any  other. 

It  is  good  economy  to  make  soap,  and  it  is  so  little  work  to 
make  it  with  potash,  and  the  result  is  so  sure,  that  no  one  need 
to  be  deterred  from  it  by  the  fear  of  trouble  or  ill-success. 

To  make  Soap  with  Ashes. 

The  following  method  of  making  soap  with  ashes  has  been 
tried  and  proved  good. 

Provide  a  leach  cask,  that  is,  one  that  is  large  at  the  top,  and 
small  at  the  bottom.  If  this  is  not  readily  obtained,  procure  a 
hogshead  that  will  not  leak,  have  the  head  taken  out  at  one  end, 
and  set  it,  propped  forward  a  little,  upon  logs  placed  right  and 
left,  and  high  enough  from  the  ground  to  set  a  pail  under  the 


236  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

front  side.  There  should  be  a  hole  in  the  bottom,  close  to  the 
front,  with  a  tight  plug  in  it.  Lay  in  two  or  three  bricks 
around  the  plug  hole,  and  across  them  some  bits  of  board,  so  as 
to  reserve  a  space,  and  keep  the  ashes  from  packing  close 
against  the  plug  hole,  —  also  several  bricks  here  and  there  over 
the  bottom  with  straw  or  brush  laid  on  them.  Then  have  the 
ashes  put  in  and  pressed  down,  till  the  hogshead  is  very  full. 
Scoop  a  hollow  in  the  centre  in  which  to  pour  the  water,  and 
then  fill  it  with  cold  soft  water,  until  it  will  absorb  no  more. 
The  next  day,  see  if  the  water  has  settled  away,  if  so,  add 
more.  When  it  is  full,  cover  it  up.  After  three  weeks,  draw 
off  the  ley,  and  put  it  into  the  soap  barrel.  Then  pour  into  it 
twenty  pounds  of  grease,  of  all  kinds,  tried  and  rough,  ham 
skins,  and  scraps,  boiling  hot.  Stir  it  very  thoroughly,  and 
every  day.  Have  the  hogshead  filled  again,  and  after  three  or 
four  weeks  draw  off  the  ley,  which  will,  this  time,  be  compara- 
tively weak;  fill  up  the  soap  barrel,  and  continue  to  stir  it  daily 
for  a  week  or  two.  The  first  ley  being  very  strong  will  com- 
pletely eat  up  even  the  coarsest  of  the  grease,  and  after  three  or 
four  months  you  will  have  a  barrel  of  excellent  soap,  fit  for  use. 

In  order  to  have  strong  ley  the  ashes  should  be  of  good  wood. 
"Walnut  and  maple  ashes  are  best  for  the  purpose.  If  you  wish 
to  make  the  soap  immediately,  the  water  for  filling  the  leach 
should  be  nearly  boiling,  and  it  can  be  drawn  off  the  next  day. 

Leached  ashes  are  useful  to  spread  upon  grass. 


THE  CARE  OF  MILK,  AND  MAKINQ 
BUTTER. 

No  branch  of  household  economy  brings  a  better  reward  than 
the  making  of  butter;  and  to  one  who  takes  an  interest  in 
domestic  employments,  it  soon  becomes  a  pleasant  occupa- 
tion. 


CARE    OF   MILK,   AND    MAKING   BUTTER.  237 

The  following  instructions  are  derived  from  the  personal 
experience  of  one  of  the  most  Skilful  dairy-women  in  New 
England ;  and  by  observing  them,  the  youthful  house-keeper, 
hitherto  unpractised  in  such  mysteries,  will  have  the  pleasure  of 
furnishing  her  table  with  the  finest  butter,  the  work  of  her  own 
hands. 

The  first  requisite  is  to  have  a  good  cow.  One  that  has  high 
hips,  short  fore-legs  and  a  large  udder  is  to  be  preferred.  The 
cream-colored  and  the  mouse-colored  cows  generally  give  a 
large  quantity  and  of  rich  quality.  Her  feeding  should  be 
faithfully  attended  to.  She  should  have  a  good  pasture  not  far 
distant,  or  if  this  is  impracticable,  care  must  be  taken  that  she 
is  not  made  to  run  —  a  piece  of  mischief  frequently  practised. 
Give  her  a  teacupful  of  salt  once  a  week.  Feed  her  once  a 
day  with  the  waste  from  the  kitchen,  adding  to  it  about  a 
pint  of  Indian  meal.  Give  her  the  skimmed  milk  not  wanted 
in  the  family.  If  she  does  not  readily  drink  it,  teach  her  by 
keeping  her  a  few  days  without  an  ample  supply  of  water. 
Take  care  that  nothing  is  given  her  which  will  injure  the  taste 
of  the  milk,  such  as  turnips  and  parsnips.  Carrots  are  a  fine 
vegetable  for  cows.  Have  her  milked  by  a  person  who  under- 
stands the  process,  or  she  will  not  give  it  freely,  and  will  soon 
become  dry.  But  the  most  abundant  supply  of  the  richest  milk 
will  avail  little,  unless  all  the  articles  used  in  the  care  of  it  are 
kept  in  perfect  order.  They  should  not  be  used  for  other  pur- 
poses. Keep  a  cloth  for  washing  them  only,  and  never  wash 
them  in  the  same  water  with  other  dishes.  After  washing, 
every  article,  and  the  cloth  with  which  they  are  washed,  must 
be  scalded.  Wash  off  thoroughly  all  the  milk  from  the  pans, 
pail,  strainer,  churn,  dasher,  skimmer,  spoons,  &c.,  before  scald- 
ing them.  If  milk  remains  in  them  when  scalded,  the  butter 
will  be  injured,  as  may  be  supposed,  from  the  fact  that  a  cloth 
strainer,  if  scalded  a  few  times  with  milk  in  it,  becomes  yellow, 
and  as  stiff  as  if  it  were  starched. 

To  scald  them  the  water  must  actually  boil.     Have  a  kettle 


238  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

of  a  size  to  admit  the  pail  and  pans,  and  plunge  all  the  articles 
into  it ;  as,  if  the  water  is  only  poured  on,  the  edges  of  the  pan 
and  the  ears  of  the  pail  will  not  always  be  well  sealded. 

If  a  cloth  strainer  is  used,  it  should  be  of  thin,  coarse  linen. 
A  basin  having  a  fine  wire  strainer  is  used  by  many  persons. 
Tin  pails  and  pans  are  better  than  wood  and  earthen ;  be- 
cause tin  is  more  easily  kept  sweet  than  wood,  and  the  glazing 
upon  brown  earthen  pans  is  sometimes  decomposed  by  sour 
milk.*  Large  wooden  churns,  worked  by  dogs  trained  to  the 
business,  are  used  in  large  dairies  ;  but  those  who  keep  one  or 
two  cows  only,  will  find  a  stone-ware  churn  best.  No  other  is 
so  easily  kept  sweet.  For  keeping  the  cream,  never  use  tin, 
but  always  stone,  cream-colored  or  fire-proof  ware.  For  work- 
ing butter,  keep  a  wooden  bowl  and  ladle.  This  last  article  is 
seldom  found  in  New  England,  but  always  in  the  State  of  New 
York.  Every  butter-maker  should  have  it,  as  the  warmth  of 
the  hand  detracts  from  the  sweetness  of  the  butter. 

Have  the  milk  closet  on  the  coolest  side  of  the  house,  or  in 
the  dryest  and  coolest  part  of  the  cellar,  and  with  a  window  in 
it  covered  with  wire-net  or  slats.  Good  butter  cannot  be 
made  without  a  free  circulation  of  fresh  air.  Allow  no  drops 
of  cream  or  milk  to  remain  a  day  on  the  shelves.  Every  inch 
of  such  a  closet  must  be  kept  perfectly  clean. 

Strain  the  milk  as  soon  as  it  is  brought  in,  and  set  it  immedi- 
ately in  its  place.  To  remove  milk  after  the  cream  has  begun 
to  rise,  prevents  its  rising  freely.  For  the  same  reason  the 
smallest  quantity  should  not  be  taken  from  a  pan  set  for  raising 
cream  ;  therefore  all  that  is  wanted  for  the  day's  use,  must  be  set 
apart  from  the  other  pans.  Those  who  have  ice  through  the  sum- 
mer, have  a  valuable  aid  in  making  good  butter.  A  piece  as  large 
as  a  peach,  should  be  put  into  a  pan  containing  three  quarts  of 


*  About  two  years  since  four  men,  while  making  hay  in  a  warm  day, 
drank  buttermilk  which  had  been  kept  in  a  jar  of  potter's  ware,  and  every 
one  died  immediately. 


CARE    OF    MILK,    AND    MAKING    BUTTER.  239 

milk,  as  soon  as  it  is  placed  in  the  closet.  The  milk  will  not 
sour  as  soon,  and  of  course  will  afford  more  cream.  Skim  the 
cream  as  soon  as  the  milk  has  become  loppord,  which  will,  in 
hot  weather,  be  in  about  thirty  hours.  To  do  this,  first  pass 
the  fore-finger  round  the  edge  of  the  pan  ;  (this  is  better  than 
to  use  the  skimmer,  because  there  is  a  hard,  wiry  edge  of 
cream  adhering  to  the  pan,  which  if  taken  off  will  injure  the 
butter ;)  then  take  off  the  cream,  clear  as  possible  from  the 
milk. 

In  very  hot  weather,  especially  in  August,  which  is  the  least 
favorable  month  for  making  butter,  a  heaping  spoonful  of  salt 
should  be  put  into  a  pailful  of  milk,  after 'the  portion  for  the 
ordinary  family  uses  is  taken  out ;  and  at  all  seasons,  fine  salt 
should  be  put  into  the  cream  from  day  to  day,  as  it  is  gathered. 
The  effect  of  this  is  excellent,  in  keeping  it  sweet  and  giving  a 
rich  flavor  to  the  butter. 

The  finest  butter  is  made  where  the  number  of  cows  renders 
it  necessary  to  churn  every  day.  The  custom  of  churning  once 
a  week  is  not  to.be  tolerated.  Cream  that  is  kept  seven  days, 
unless  it  be  in  the  coldest  Aveather,  cannot  be  made  into  good 
butter.  If  you  keep  but  one  cow,  churn  twice  a  week  ;  and  in 
dog-days,  three  times.  Do  it  in  the  cool  of  the  morning.  If 
the  weather  is  warm,  set  the  churn  into  a  tub  of  cold  water ; 
add  ice  if  you  have  it,  and  put  a  piece  also  into  the  churn.  Air 
is  necessary  to  make  butter  come  ;  therefore,  if  the  cream  flies 
out  of  the  opening  around  the  dasher,  do  not  put  any  thing 
round  to  prevent  it.  When  the  butter  has  come,  continue  the 
strokes  of  the  dasher  a  few  minutes  to  separate  all  the  little 
particles  from  the  butter-milk.  This  done,  take  it  out  into  the 
wooden  bowl  with  a  ladle  or  skimmer.  The  bowl  and  ladle 
should  have  boiling  water  poured  on  them  when  you  first  begin 
to  churn.  After  a  few  minutes  it  should  be  poured  off,  and 
cold  water  be  poured  on  them,  and  they  should  stand  till  you 
are  ready  to  use  them.  This  is  to  prevent  the  butter  from 
sticking  to  them. 

Work  the  butter  with  the  ladle,  until  the  buttermilk  ceases 


240  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

to  come  out;  then  sprinkle  it  with  clean  sifted  salt,  as  that 
which  was  put  into  the  cream  will  not  be  enough ;  work  it  in 
well,  and  taste  it  to  see  if  more  should  be  added.  Observation 
and  experience  must  teach  you  how  much  to  use.  Mould  the 
butter  with  the  ladle  into  balls  or  lumps  of  any  form  you  pre- 
fer ;  put  it  into  a  covered  jar  or  tureen  and  set  it  in  the  ice- 
house or  cellar. 

Butter  is  sweetest  to  be  worked  but  once,  and  if  all  which 
you  make  is  used  from  week  to  week,  it  is  sufficient,  provided 
it  comes  hard ;  if  it  is  soft  at  first,  it  must  be  worked  again  the 
next  morning.  That  which  is  to  be  laid  down  for  future  use,  or 
to  be  kept  two  or  three  weeks,  must  be  worked  again  after  a 
day  or  two,  and  every  particle  of  buttermilk  got  out.  ISfever 
work  butter  a  third  time. 

From  October  to  June,  the  best  method  of  raising  cream  is 
to  set  the  pans  for  twelve  hours  in  the  milk  closet,  and  then  for 
five  hours  on  a  stove,  or  a  furnace  having  embers  in  it,  where 
the  milk  will  become  hot,  but  not  scald  ;  then  return  it  to  the 
closet,  and  after' it  is  cold,  take  off  the  cream,  -draining  it  very 
clear  from  the  milk.  Much  more  cream  will  be  obtained  in 
this,  than  in  the  ordinary  method  ;  and  at  least  a  quarter  more 
butter  will  be  secured  from  the  same  quantity  of  milk.  It  also 
comes  very  quick  —  ten  minutes'  churning  being  often  sufficient, 
This  is  the  method  practised  in  Devonshire,  England ;  and  the 
clotted  cream,  as  it  is  there  called,  is  carried  up  to  the  London 
market ;  for  it  is  not  only  good  for  butter,  but  also  for  coffee 
and  other  uses.  Care  must  be  taken  that  the  milk  is  not  made 
too  hot.  If  it  becomes  so  hot  as  almost  to  scald,  the  cream  will 
have  little  skinny  fiakes  in  it,  which  will  be  visible  in  the 
butter. 

A  good  Brine  for  keeping  Butter. 

To  two  quarts  of  water,  put  one  of  clean  fine  salt,  a  pound  of 
loaf  or  crushed  sugar,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  saltpetre.  "When  it 
has  stood  an  hour,  in  order  that  the  salt  and  sugar  may  dissolve, 
strain  it  through  a  flannel  bag,  and  pour  it  over  the  butter. 


ON    MAKING    CHEESE.  241 

Less  salt  may  be  enough.     The  object  is  to  have  as  much  as 
the  water  will  take  up. 

To  keep  Butter  sweet  a  Year. 

Take  care  that  the  butter  is  made  in  the  best  manner,  and 
the  buttermilk  entirely  worked  out  of  it.  Lay  it  in  a  white- 
oak  firkin.  Make  a  strong  brine  of  salt  and  water,  and  put  it 
into  another  and  larger  firkin,  and  set  the  one  containing  the 
butter  into  the  one  in  which  the  brine  is.  Let  the  brine  come 
up  very  near  to  the  top  of  the  butter  firkin.  Lay  on  the  top  of 
the  butter  a  white  bag  with  fine  salt  in  it,  cover  it  close,  and 
then  put  on  the  cover  of  the  outside  firkin. 


ON    MAKING    CHEESE. 

THE  articles  used  in  making  cheese  should  be  kept  sweet 
and  clean  as  in  making  butter.  They  should  be  scalded  daily, 
and  never  be  set  away  until  perfectly  dry.  The  conveniences 
wanted  are  a  large  pine  tub,  painted  white  inside ;  a  cheese 
basket  and  a  ladder,  on  which  to  set  the  basket  over  the  tub ; 
two  cheese-hoops,  large  or  small,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
dairy ;  two  large  square  strainers  of  thin  coarse  linen ;  two  cir- 
cular boards  called  followers ;  and  a  brass  kettle  large  enough 
to  hold  several  pails  of  milk.  Presses  used  are  of  various  con- 
structions. The  most  convenient  one  has  a  lever  and  weight ; 
and  for  making  very  large  cheeses,  a  windlass  should  be 
attached  to  the  end  of  the  lever. 

To  make  Cheese. 

Strain  the  night's  milk  into  the  tub ;  in  the  morning  stir  in 
the  cream  (if  you  want  rich  cheese  do  not  let  any  of  it  be 
taken  off),  and  put  a  part  of  the  milk  over  a  clear  fire,  in  the 
brass  kettle.  Heat  it  enough  to  make  the  milk  which  is  still  in 


242  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

the  tub  quite  warm,  but  not  hot ;  pour  it  back  into  the  tub,  and 
strain  in  the  morning's  milk.  Put  in  a  spoonful  or  two  of  ren- 
net, stir  it  well,  and  let  it  stand  half  an  hour  undisturbed.  If 
the  curd  does  not  form  well  by  that  time  put  in  more  rennet. 

To  prepare  rennet.  This  is  the  stomach  of  a  calf;  and  it  is 
often  the  case  that  a  piece  of  curd  (the  last  milk  eaten  by  the 
calf)  is  found  in  it.  See  if  there  is  any  thing  inside  which 
should  be  removed,  and  then  return  the  curd  to  its  place,  in  the 
rennet ;  it  is  the  best  part  of  it.  Soak  the  rennet  in  a  quart  of 
water,  then  salt  it  and  hang  it  up  to  dry  where  the  flies  will  not 
find  it ;  keep  the  water  in  a  jar  or  bottle.  There  is  a  great  dif- 
ference in  the  strength  of  rennets  ;  some  will  make  a  thousand 
weight  of  cheese,  while  others  will  scarcely  make  fifty.  Ex- 
perience alone  will  teach  exactly  how  much  to  use. 

When  the  curd  is  well  formed,  cut  it  in  squares,  making  the 
knife  go  clown  to  the  bottom  of  the  tub  at  every  stroke ;  let  it 
stand  fifteen  minutes  for  the  whey  to  separate.  Then  break  it 
up  very  gently,  putting  the  hand  down  through  all  parts.  It 
should  be  done  gently,  or  some  of  the  milk  will  be  lost  in  the 
whey.  This  causes  white  whey ;  the  greener  the  whey,  the 
richer  the  cheese.  Lay  the  strainer  on  the  top  of  the  curd, 
and  dip  off  the  whey  that  presses  up  through,  until  you  have 
dipped  about  a  third  of  it.  Put  this  immediately  over  the  fire 
to  heat.  When  hot,  but  not  boiling,  pour  it  back  upon  the  curd 
and  then  break  up  the  curd  small,  and  as  quickly  as  possible, 
with  your  hand ;  then  lay  the  strainer  into  the  cheese  basket, 
and  pour  the  curd  into  it  to  drain.  When  this  is  done,  return 
it  to  the  tub,  salt  it,  put  it  again  into  the  strainer,  and  then  into 
the  cheese-hoop.  Do  not  twist  up  the  strainer,  but  lay  it  over 
smooth  ;  lay  a  follower  upon  it,  put  it  into  the  press,  and  press 
it  tight.  Let  it  remain  two  days,  and  increase  the  pressure  four 
or  five  times  meanwhile,  turning  the  cheese  over  each  time.  If 
you  make  cheese  every  day,  you  will  need  two  presses. 

After  this,  turn  the  cheese  out  upon  a  shelf,  in  a  dark  closet 
or  room,  secure  from  flies.  Rub  every  clay  the  side  that  has 
lain  upon  the  shelf,  and  turn  it  over,  liub  it  all  over  with  but- 


FOOD    AND    DRINKS    FOR    THE    SICK.  243 

ter  often.  These  things  must  be  done  for  six  months.  Butter 
made  of  whey-cream,  is  generally  used  for  this  purpose.  If 
cheese  is  rich,  a  strip  of  new  American  cotton,  as  wide  as  the 
thickness  of  the  cheese,  should  be  sewed  tight  around  it,  when 
first  taken  from  the  press.  Without  this,  it  would  soon  melt 
out  of  shape.  During  the  season,  when  flies  are  about,  rub 
cheese  now  and  then  with  butter  sprinkled  with  cayenne 
pepper. 


FOOD    AND    DRINKS    FOR    THE    SICK,  AND 

FOR    INFANTS,    AND    SUGGESTIONS 

IN    REGARD    TO    SICKNESS. 

Beef  Tea. 

CUT  a  piece  of  lean,  juicy  beef  into  pieces  an  inch  square, 
put  them  into  a  wide-mouthed  bottle  and  cork  it  tight.  Set  the 
bottle  into  a  kettle  of  cold  water  and  boil  it  an  hour  and  a  half. 
This  mode  of  making  beef  tea  concentrates  the  nourishment 
more  than  any  other. 

Another  (furnished  by  a  physician). 

•  Take  a  piece  of  beef  cut  from  the  round  ;  take  off  every  par- 
ticle of  fat,  then  cut  it  into  pieces  about  an  inch  square  and  put 
into  cold  water,  in  the  proportion  of  a  pint  to  the  pound.  After 
standing  half  or  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  set  it  on  the  fire  and 
boil  it  slowly  several  hours.  If  the  water  boils  away,  add 
more  cold  water,  so  that  there  will  be  a  pint  of  tea  for  every 
pound  of  beef.  Strain  it,  add  salt,  and  black  pepper  also  if  the 
case  allows  it. 

Another  Way. 

Choose  a  lean  and  juicy  piece  of  beef,  the  size  of  your  hand  ; 
take  off  all  the  fat ;  broil  it  only  three  or  four  minutes,  on  very 
hot  coals.  Lay  it  in  a  porringer  or  bowl,  sprinkle  it  with  salt, 
and  pour  upon  it  two  or  three  gills  of  boiling  water ;  then  cut  it 


244  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

into  small  pieces,  as  it  lies  in  the  water.  Cover  it  close,  and  let 
it  stand  where  it  will  keep  hot  but  not  boil.  It  is  fit  for  use  in 
half  an  hour,  and  does  well  where  such  nourishment  is  wanted 
immediately. 

This  is  more  agreeable  to  the  taste  than  tea  made  by  either 
of  the  two  preceding  rules,  but  it  is  not  as  good  for  a  patient 
who  is  so  sick  as  to  take  but  very  little  nourishment  at  once. 

Chicken  Broth. 

If  the  weather  is  warm,  use  but  half  a  chicken  to  make  broth 
for  one  person.  If  it  is  cool  take  a  whole  one,  as  the  broth  will 
keep  several  days.  Pull  oft'  the  skin  (because  there  is  a  good 
deal  of  oil  in  it)  and  allow  two  quarts  of  water  for  a  chicken. 
Skim  it  in  the  neatest  manner  when  it  begins  to  boil.  Put  in  a 
large  spoonful  of  rice,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  boil  it 
slowly  two  hours.  If  onion  and  parsley  are  to  be  added,  cut 
them  fine ;  put  in  the  onion  when  the  broth  has  boiled  an  hour, 
and  the  parsley  five  minutes  before  it  is  served. 

It  is  the  best  way  to  boil  the  chicken  the  day  before  it  is 
wanted,  and  the  next  day  take  off  the  fat,  add  the  rice,  &c.,  and 
boil  it  another  hour. 

Chicken  Tea. 

Take  a  leg  and  thigh  of  a  chicken,  lay  it  into  a  pint  of  cold 
water,  and  set  it  on  the  fire  till  it  boils  up  long  enough  for  you 
to  skim  it.  Put  in* a  little  salt. 

Chicken  Panada. 

Boil  a  young  chicken  half  an  hour  in  a  quart  of  water.  Then 
remove  the  skin,  cut  off"  the  white  meat,  and  when  cold,  put  it 
into  a  mortar  with  a  spoonful  or  two  of  the  water  in  which  it 
was  boiled,  and  pound  it  to  a  paste.  Season  it  with  salt,  and  u 
very  little  nutmeg;  add  a  little  more  of  the  water,  and  boil  it 
up  three  or  four  minutes.  It  should  be  of  such  a  consistency 
that  it  can  be  drank,  though  rather  thick. 

The  bones  which  remain  may  be  returned  to  the  water  in 


FOOD    AND    DRINKS    FOR   THE    SICK.  245 

which  the  chicken  was  boiled ;  and  with  the  addition  of  rice,  a 
good  broth  be  made  of  it. 

Calf's  foot  Broth. 

Boil  two  feet  in  three  quarts  of  water,  until  it  is  wasted  to 
three  pints.  Strain  it,  and  set  it  aside  in  a  cool  place.  When 
cold,  take  off  the  fat.  Heat  a  little  at  a  time  as  it  is  wanted, 
and  add  salt,  nutmeg,  and,  if  approved,  a  spoonful  of  good  wine. 

Wine  Whey. 

To  a  pint  of  milk  put  two  glasses  of  wine ;  mix  it,  and 
let  it.  stand  twelve  minutes,  then  strain  it  through  a  muslin  bag 
or  a  very  fine  sieve.  Sweeten  it  with  loaf  sugar. 

If  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  whey  weaker,  put  a  little  hot 
water  to  the  milk. 

Barley  Water. 

Boil  an  ounce  of  pearl  barley  a  few  minutes  to  cleanse  it, 
pour  off  the  water,  and  put  a  quart  of  cold  water  and  a  little 
salt  to  it.  Simmer  it  an  hour. 

Arrow-root. 

The  best  kinds  of  arrow-root  are  the  Jamaica  and  Bermuda. 

"Wet  a  large  teaspoonful  in  a  little  cold  water,  with  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt ;  pour  on  it  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  stirring 
it  very  fast.  Then  set  it  where  it  will  just  boil  up  for  one  min- 
ute. Sweeten  it,  and  add  milk  if  it  is  allowed.  For  a  drink, 
make  it  very  thin,  and  put  in  lemon  juice  and  sugar. 

Pearl  Sago,  and  Tapioca. 

The  directions,  page  99  are  appropriate  for  the  preparation 
of  these  articles  for  invalids. 

Milk  Porridge. 

Put  to  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  flour 
wet  smooth  in  cold  water,  and  add  salt.  Then  put  in  half  a 


246  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

pint  of  milk,  stir  it  well,  and  let  it  boil  up  again.  Vary  th<* 
proportions  of  milk  and  water  as  the  case  requires.  Made 
wholly  with  milk  it  is  a  very  hearty  dish. 

Oatmeal  Gruel. 

Put  two  large  spoonfuls  of  oatmeal,  wet  in  cold  wrater,  into 
three  pints  of  boiling  water ;  boil  it  gently  half  an  hour,  skim 
it,  add  a  little  salt,  sugar,  and  nutmeg.  If  raisins  are  also  used, 
a  large  teacupful  stoned,  will  be  enough.  But  gruel  with 
raisins  should  be  boiled  longer  than  without. 

Ground  Rice  Gruel, 

Rub  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  ground  rice  in  a  small  quantity 
of  cold  water,  and  stir  it  into  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water  ;  add 
a  little  salt,  and  let  it  boil  up  half  a  minute.  If  milk  is  allowed, 
it  is  an  improvement  to  make  the  gruel  with  equal  parts  of 
milk  and  water. 

Indian  Meal  Gruel. 

This  is  made  in  the  same  way  as  the  ground  rice,  but  re- 
quires much  longer  boiling.  It  should  never  be  boiled  -less  than 
half  an  hour,  and  an  hour  is  much  better.  The  white  froth 
that  rises  upon  the  top  should  never,  be  skimmed  off,  as  it  is  the 
most  nutritious  part  of  the  gruel.  Nutmeg,  sugar,  and  a  spoon- 
ful of  cream  may  be  added,  if  approved. 

Panada. 

Set  a  saucepan  with  three  gills  of  water  upon  the  fire,  add 
one  glass  of  white  wine,  a  little  loaf  sugar,  and  a  very  little  nut- 
meg, and  grated  lemon.  Meanwhile,  grate  some  white  bread, 
and  the  moment  the  mixture  boils,  put  in  the  bread,  keeping  it 
still  on  the  fire.  Let  it  boil  fast,  and  when  of  a  thickness  just 
to  allow  of  drinking  it,  set  it  off. 

4  Nutritious  Jelly. 

Take  of  rice,  sago,  pearl  barley,  and  hartshorn  shavings,  each 


FOOD    AND    DRINKS    FOR    THE    SICK.  247 

an  ounce ;  add  three  pints  of  water,  simmer  it  till  reduced  to 
one,  and  then  strain  it.  When  cold,  it  will  be  a  jelly,  to  be 
given  dissolved  in  broth,  milk,  or  wine,  as  directed  by  the  phy- 
sician. 

Caudle. 

Into  a  pint  of  thin  rice  gruel  put,  while  it  is  boiling  hot,  a 
mixture  made  of  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  beaten  well  with  sugar,  a 
large  spoonful  of  cold  water,  a  glass  of  wine,  and  some  nutmeg. 
It  should  be  stirred  in  by  degrees. 

Rennet  Whey. 

Wash  a  piece  of  rennet  an  inch  or  two  square,  and  lay  it 
into  half  a  gill  of  warm  water  for  an  hour.  Warm  a  pint  of 
milk,  but  do  not  make  it  hot ;  put  it  into  a  shallow  dish,  and 
stir  the  rennet-water  into  it.  Let  it  stand  undisturbed  half  an 
hour,  then  cut  it  across  many  times  with  a  knife,  and  after  an 
hour  pour  off  the  whey.  Let  the  dish  then  remain  several 
hours  undisturbed,  and  more  whey  will  be  formed. 

In  cases  of  great  debility  of  the  stomach,  consequent  upon  in- 
flammation, or  attended  with  it,  rennet  whey  will  be  retained 
when  every  thing  else  is  rejected,  and  may  be  given,  a  tea- 
spoonful  at  the  time,  very  often,  in  order  to  prepare  the  stomach 
to  receive  and  retain  nourishment. 

Apple  Tea. 

Roast  sour  apples  and  pour  boiling  water  upon  them.  Let 
them  stand  till  the  water  is  cold. 

Another. 

Pare  and  slice  thin  three  or  four  pleasant  sour  apples,  pour  a 
pint  of  boiling  water  on  them,  and  boil  them  six  or  eight  min- 
utes. Let  them  stand  till  they  are  cold,  then  pour  or  strain  off 
the  water,  and  sweeten  it  a  little,  unless  the  invalid  prefers  it 
without.  It  is  a  refreshing  drink. 


248  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Wine  Jelly 

Put  into  a  porcelain  saucepan  half  a  paper  of  English  gela- 
tine and  a  large  half  cup  of  white  sugar.  Pour  over  half  a 
pint  of  cold  water,  and  let  it  soak  for  fifteen  minutes.  Then 
add  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  and  stir  till  the  gelatine  and 
sugar  are  dissolved.  Put  it  on  the  stove,  and  when  it  boils 
up  remove  at  once  from  the  fire.  Add  half  a  pint  of  best 
Madeira,  Sherry,  or  California  wine.  Put  in  tumblers  or 
small  moulds  wet  with  cold  water. 

Mutton  Broth 

Take  the  shank  or  lower  part  of  the  leg ;  have  the  bone 
broken  in  two  or  three  places,  wash,  and  put  it  into  a  sauce- 
pan with  a  large  quart  of  water  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt. 
Skim  it  well.  To  make  the  scum  all  rise,  add  half  a  cup  of 
cold  water  after  having  skimmed  it  twice.  Boil  it  till  the 
meat  is  ready  to  fall  from  the  bones ;  put  it  aside  till  the  next 
day  in  order  to  take  off  every  particle  of  fat;  or,  if  it  is 
wanted  immediately,  skim  off  the  fat  carefully ;  then  add  a 
spoonful  of  whole  rice,  and,  if  allowed,  a  piece  each  of  onion 
and  turnip,  and  boil  another  hour. 

Cinnamon  Tea, 

Break  a  stick  of  good  cinnamon  into  pieces ;  pour  enough 
boiling  water  upon  it  to  make  a  cupful  of  tea.  Boil  it  up  only 
a  minute  or  two.  Do  not  steep  it.  For  bowel-complaint 
take  a  teaspoonful  many  times  a  day.  It  is  a  safe  and  ex- 
cellent remedy. 

Flaxseed  Tea. 

Put  to  two  tablespoonfuis  of  whole  flaxseed  a  pint  of  boil- 
ing water,  and  boil  it  fifteen  minutes.  Cut  up  a  lemon,  and 
put  into  a  pitcher  with'  two  tablespoonfuis  of  white  sugar. 
Strain  the  flaxseed  tea,  boiling  hot,  through  a  small  wire 
strainer  into  the  pitcher,  and  stir  it.  Good  for  a  cough  and 
sore  throat.  More  sugar  if  preferred.  Take  a  spoonful  often. 


BLACK   CURRANT   JELLY  —  ANTIDOTES    TO    POISON,    ETC.     249 

Black  Currant  Jelly  (for  a  sore  throat). 

When  the  currants  are  picked  over  and  washed,  put  them 
in  the  preserving  pan  or  kettle  with  a  very  little  water.  When, 
they  begin  to  simmer,  stir  and  crush  them.  When  all  are 
done  soft,  squeeze  them  in  a  coarse  linen  bag,  and,  for  a  pint 
of  juice,  allow  twelve  ounces  of  white  sugar.  Boil  the  juice 
gently  a  few  minutes,  and  set  it  off  in  order  to  remove  the 
scum.  This  done,  return  it  to  the  fire,  and  stir  in  the  heated 
sugar.  Boil  it  slowly  ten  or  twelve  minutes.  Being  used 
only  as  a  remedy  for  the  sore  throat,  it  should  not  be  put  into 
ajar,  but  in  small  glasses,  or  jelly-cups,  j 

Antidotes  to  Poison. 

In  cases  where  poison  has  been  taken  into  the  stomach, 
give  immediately  the  whites  of  several  eggs,  —  to  a  child,  two 
or  three ;  to  an  adult,  six  or  seven.  Or  stir  a  large  teaspoonful 
of  mustard  into  a  tumbler  of  warm  water,  to  be  drank  all  at 
once. 

Blackberry  Syrup. 

Procure  perfectly  ripe  high  blackberries.  The  low  black- 
berries have  not  so  much  of  the  medicinal  quality  as  the  high 
berries.  Put  them  in  a  porcelain-lined  kettle  over  a  moderate 
fire.  Let  them  remain  till  they  break  in  pieces ;  then  mash, 
and  strain  through  a  flannel  bag.  To  each  pint  of  juice  put 
one  pound  of  white  sugar,  half  an  ounce  of  powdered  cinna- 
mon, quarter  of  an  ounce  of  mace,  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
whole  cloves.  Boil  all  together  for  fifteen  minutes,  stirring 
occasionally ;  then  strain  the  syrup  again,  and  to  each  pint 
put  a  wine-glass  of  best  French  brandy.  Put  into  bottles, 
cork,  and  seal  them  tight,  and  keep  in  a  cool  place.  This 
syrup,  mixed  with  cold  water  in  the  proportion  of  a  wine- 
glass to  two-thirds  of  a  tumbler  of  water,  is  an  excellent 
remedy  for  bowel-complaint. 


250  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Posset. 

Put  a  pint  of  milk  into  a  tin  pail,  and  set  it  into  a  kettle 
of  hot  water.  Pound  a  soda-cracker  very  fine,  and  stir  into 
the  milk  when  it  boils.  Beat  two  eggs  with  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  fine  sugar,  and  to  these  add  a  small  glass  of  pale 
sherry.  Take  the  milk  from  the  kettle,  and  stir  in  these  in- 
gredients gradually,  but  very  fast.  Add  nutmeg  if  allowed. 

To  treat  Frozen  Limbs. 

Rub  with  snow  or  very  cold  water  until  the  part  frozen  be- 
comes red.  Then  wL>e  dry,  rub  briskly  with  the  hand,  and 
cover  with  flannel. 

How  to  make  a  Mustard-Plaster. 

Take  for  a  plaster  the  size  of  your  hand  a  large  teaspoon- 
ful  of  rye  or  Graham  meal.  Make  it,  with  warm  water,  into 
a  paste  stiff  enough  to  be  spread  smooth  upon  a  piece  of  cotton 
cloth.  Do  not  spread  it  nearer  than  an  inch  from  the  edge. 
Sprinkle  fine  mustard  enough  over  it  just  to  cover  it ;  lay  a 
piece  of  thin  muslin  over.  In  some  kinds  of  sickness,  the 
skin  is  torpid,  and  such  a  plaster  has  little  effect.  In  such  a 
case,  the  rye-meal  should  be  wet  with  hot  vinegar. 

To  Cure  the  Earache. 

Put  boiling  water  with  a  little  soda  or  laudanum  in  it  into 
a  teapot,  and  hold  the  spout  as  near  the  ear  as  can  be  en- 
dured. Keep  a  shawl  or  other  covering  around  the  head  and 
over  the  teapot,  so  as  to  confine  the  steam.  Another  remedy 
is  to  take  the  heart  from  a  roasted  onion,  cool  it,  and  dip  in 
sweet  oil  and  laudanum.  Press  the- onion  into  the  ear,  and 
tie  a  handkerchief  around  the  head 

To  Believe  Chilblains 

Baste  soft  linen  inside  the  heels  and  toes  of  the  stockings, 
and  rub  the  linen  well  with  a  piece  of  common  chalk. 


FOOD    AND    DRINKS    FOR    THE    SICK.  251 

A  Refreshing  Draught  in  a  Fever. 

Wash  a  few  sprigs  of  sagej  burnet.  balm,  and  sorrel,  and  put 
them  into  a  jug  with  half  a  sliced  lemon.  Pour  in  three  pints 
of  boiling  water,  sweeten  it,  and  stop  it  close. 

Crust  Coffee. 

Take  a  large  crust  of  bread ;  brown  is  to  be  preferred,  but 
Graham  bread  will  answer.  Dry  it  in  the  toaster,  and  at  last 
almost  burn  both  sides ;  lay  it  in  a  saucepan  and  pour  boiling 
water  on  it ;  boil  it  up  a  minute  or  two,  and  then  strain  off  the 
coffee  ;  return  it  to  the  saucepan  with  a  little  milk  or  cream, 
and  boil  it  up  again.  It  should  be  made  strong  enough  to  look 
like  real  coffee,  of  which  it  is  a  very  good  imitation  when  well 
made. 

Toast  Water. 

Toast  a  crust  of  white  bread  very  brown  without  burning  it, 
and  put  it  into  cold  water.  After  an  hour,  the  water  will  be  a 
refreshing  drink ;  and  it  is  sometimes  grateful  to  the  stomach 
when  no  other  can  be  taken. 

Herb  Drinks. 

Herb  drinks  should  be  made  with  boiling  water  in  an  earthen 
pitcher  or  tea-pot,  and  be  drank  after  standing  a  few  minutes 
without  boiling.  Long  steeping  makes  them  insipid  and  dis- 
agreeable. 

All  food  and  drink  for  the  sick  should  be  prepared  with 
careful  attention  and  perfect  neatness,  and  should  be  served  in 
as  inviting  a  manner  as  possible.  The  appetite  of  an  invalid  is 
excited  or  checked  by  things  that  escape  the  observation  of  a 
person  in  health. 

Food  for  a  Young  Infant. 

Pour  four  spoonfuls  of  boiling  water  upon  one  of  sweet  cream, 
and  add  a  very  little  loaf  sugar.  This  receipt  was  given  by  an 
experienced  physician,  and  has  been  proved,  to  be  entirely 
suited  to  the  stomach  of  the  youngest  infant.  But  care  must 


252  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

be  taken  to  secure  good  cream ;  and  this  can  be  done  only  by 
providing  new  milk  every  day,  from  one  cow.  Mixed  milk 
cannot  be  safely  used  for  a  little  infant. 

For  a  child  just  weaned. 

There  is  always  danger,  especially  in  warm  weather,  that 
the  stomach,  even  of  a  healthy  child,  will  become  disordered  by 
being  weaned  ;  and  it  is  important  to  guard  against  the  evil,  by 
careful  attention  to  the  diet,  for  a  little  while.  Boil  every 
morning  new  milk  enough  to  last  twenty-four  hours,  and  stir 
into  it  the  best  of  arrow-root  wet  in  cold  water,  in  the  proportion 
of  a  large  teaspoonful  to  a  quart.  Add  a  very  little  salt,  and 
boil  it  up  again  for  one  minute,  then  set  it  in  a  cold  place. 

Flour  Gruel  (for  children  sick  with  teething  complaints). 

Tie  up  in  a  piece  of  thick  cotton  cloth  a  coffee-cup  of  white 
flour.  Put  it  into  boiling  water,  and  keep  it  boiling  steadily 
three  hours.  Then  remove  the  cloth  and  lay  the  lump  where 
it  will  become  perfectly  dry.  To  use  it,  grate  it  and  thicken 
two  gills  of  boiling  milk  with  a  dessert  spoonful  of  it  wet  in 
cold  water.  Put  a  little  salt  in  the  milk.  This  is  excellent 
food  for  feeble  children. 

[The  value  of  the  following  receipts  has  been  proved  in  the 
successful  rearing  of  very  feeble  infants  by  the  use  of  them. 
Several  mothers  have  gratefully  testified  to  their  excellence, 
especially  for  children  reduced  to  extreme  debility  by  teething 
complaints.  After  weighing  the  articles  a  few  times  it  will  be 
easy  to  proportion  the  ingredients  by  measure]. 

Food  for  an  Infant  at  successive  periods. 

For  the  first  three  months :  —  5  grains  of  gelatine  ;  25  grains 
of  arrow-root;  2  gills  of  milk;  1  gill  of  cream;  1^  pints  of 
water. 

From  three  to  six  months :  —  gelatine,  arrow-root,  and  water, 
as  above ;  3  gills  of  milk  ;  1  gill  of  cream. 

From  six  to  nine  months ;  —  gelatine,  arrow-root,  and  water,  as 
above ;  1  pint  of  milk ;  1 J  gills  of  cream. 


MISCELLANEOUS    RECEIPTS. 


253 


From  nine  to  twelve  months :  —  gelatine,  arrow-root,  and 
water,  as  above  ;  1 J  pints  of  milk  ;  1 J  or  2  gills  of  cream. 

If  the  child  is  feeble,  use  in  each  case  one  quart  of  water. 

Put  the  gelatine  into  1^  pints  of  hot  water,  and  when  it  boils 
add  the  arrow-root  dissolved  in  a  gill  of  cold  water.  When  this 
has  boiled  five  minutes,  add  the  milk,  and  when  it  boils  again 
pour  in  the  cream.  Take  it  from  the  fire,  and  sweeten  with 
loaf  sugar  until  it  is  slightly  sweeter  than  cow's  milk.  Strain 
if  necessary,  through  fine  muslin,  and  stir  occasionally  while 
cooling.  If  the  child  is  constipated,  use  a  little  more  cream,  or 
sweeten  with  brown  sugar.  In  the  opposite  case,  use  a  little 
less  cream.  This  food  should  be  prepared  once  in  twenty-four 
hours  ;  in  warm  weather,  twice,  unless  kept  in  a  very  cool  place. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS  AND  USEFUL 
DIRECTIONS. 

Italian  Cream  * 

Soak  half  a  box  of  English  gelatine  in  a  pint  and  a  half 
of  milk  for  an  hour.  Set  it  over  the  fire ;  stir  till  it  boils ; 
then  sweeten,  and  add  the  beaten  yolks  of  four  eggs.  Flavor 
with  vanilla.  When  cold,  put  it  into  the  freezer  for  six  hours 
with  plenty  of  ice  and  salt,  adding  more  occasionally,  but  do 
not  stir. 

Frozen  Pudding.* 

Place  in  the  pail  of  a  freezer  layers  of  cake  and  raspberry 
or  strawberry  jam,  till  there  is  about  a  pint  and  a  half.  Then 
pour  over  a  pint  of  boiled  custard.  When  the  cake  has 
become  soft,  and  the  mixture  is  cold,  set  the  pail  in  the 
freezer,  and  freeze  according  to  the  directions  for  Italian  cream. 
When  ready  to  serve,  remove  the  pail,  dip  quickly  into  boil- 
ing water,  and  turn  out  upon  a  dish. 

I 

Lemon  Ice.* 

To  one  quart  of  rich  lemonade  made  very  sweet,  add  the 
beaten  whites  of  six  eggs,  and  freeze  till  it  is  thick. 

*  Received  by  the  publishers  too  late  for  their  appropriate  sections. 


054  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Frosted  Tapioca  Pudding.* 

Take  a  small  cup  of  tapioca,  and  soak  it  in  cold  water  over 
night.  Put  it  into  a  kettle  with  a  quart  of  milk.  Let  it 
boil  a  few  minutes,  stirring  to  prevent  burning.  Then  add 
the  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs,  and  a  small  cup  of  sugar. 
Pour  into  a  dish,  and  cover  with  the  whites  of  the  eggs 
beaten  stiff  with  half  a  cup  of  sugar.  Put  it  into  the  oven  to 
brown  the  top,  and  eat  cold.  Salt  and  flavor  to  taste. 

Longwood  Omelets .* 

Beat  the  yolks  of  three  eggs.  Add  a  teaspoonful  of  butter, 
melted,  two-thirds  of  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  two-thirds  of 
a  cup  of  milk,  and  a  little  salt  and  pepper.  Beat  the  whites 
very  stiff,  and  pour  the  mixture  over.  Do  not  stir,  but  only 
break  up  the  froth  slightly.  Butter  a  heated  spider ;  put  into 
it  three  spoonfuls  of  the  mixture,  dipping  through  from  the  top 
to  the  bottom.  As  it  browns  on  the  under  side,  roll  over  and 
over,  and  place  one  roll  after  another  upon  a  hot  dish.  Serve 
quickly  as  possible.  If  you  use  cream,  omit  the  butter. 

Steamed  Turkey.* 

Fill  the  turkey  with  oysters,  and  cook  it  in  a  steamer 
placed  over  a  kettle  of  boiling  water  until  it  is  tender  to  the 
fork.  Serve  with  oyster-sauce,  pouring  some  over  the  turkey. 
Chickens  may  be  cooked  in  the  same  way. 

Spiced  Currants  (to  eat  with  meats).* 

To  five  pounds  of  ripe  currants,  put  four  of  brown  sugar, 
one  pint  of  vinegar,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  cloves  pounded  fine, 
^and  t^vfc  of  ground  cinnamon.  Boil  gently  two  or  three  hours 
until  it  thickens.  Stir  frequently.  Some  persons  prefer  to 
stew  the  currants  soft  first,  then  rub  them  through  a  sieve 
before  adding  the  sugar  and  spice. 

Genesee  Pickle.* 

Take  as  many  ripe  cucumbers  as  can  be  covered  by  one 


/  / 

^l^^l^^^ 


'•fl/k'y\—'  iXxv-v^_^    jj 


MISCELLANEOUS   RECEIPTS.  255 

quart  of  vinegar.  Pare  them,  remove  the  seeds,  and  cut  in 
slips  about  the  length  of  a  finger.  Soak  them  in  vinegar  for 
twenty-four  hours ;  then  drain  it  off,  and  prepare  a  syrup  of 
one  quart  of  vinegar,  one  pound  of  white  sugar,  cloves  and 
cinnamon  to  your  taste.  Boil  the  cucumbers  in  this  syrup  for 
half  an  hour ;  then  skim  them  out ;  boil  the  syrup  twenty 
minutes  longer,  and  pour  over  the  cucumbers.  Add  one  red 
pepper  to  one  quart  of  vinegar  if  you  like.  The  pickle  will 
be  ready  for  use  in  three  or  four  days. 

Snow-Balls. 

One  cup  of  flour,  one  of  sugar,  three  eggs,  one  table- 
spoonful  of  yeast-powder  (Preston  &  Merrill's),  one  of  milk, 
a  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  lemon,  a  little  salt.  Steam  in 
tin  cups  in  a  steamer  twenty  minutes.  Roll  in  powdered 
sugar  while  hot,  and  turn  them  on  the  plate  upside  down. 
Put  a  table-spoonful  and  a  half  of  the  mixture  to  each 
cup. 

New-Haven  Jumbles. 

Four  cups  of  flour,  two  of  sugar,  a  heaping  cup  of  butter, 
three  eggs.  Twist  strips  of  the  dough  around  and  around 
on  the  pan  until  the  size  of  cookies. 

Molasses  Candy. 

TO  one  pint  of  best  molasses  put  four  ounces  of  brown  su- 
gar. Boil  in  a  porcelain  saucepan,  and  stir  often,  taking  care 
that  it  does  not  burn.  Boil  until  it  will  become  hard  and 
brittle ;  put  a  teaspoonful  upon  ice,  or  into  cold  water,  in  or- 
der to  ascertain  this.  Before  taking  up,  add  a  teaspoonful  of 
essence  of  lemon  and  a  plenty  of  almonds,  chopped.  Pour 
into  a  tin  well  buttered ;  or  take  some  of  the  candy  without 
nuts  (first  rubbing  your  hands  with  butter),  and,  while  warm, 
pull  until  it  is  of  as  light  a  color  as  you  wish. 

Lemon  Candy. 

Boil  briskly  in  a  porcelain  saucepan  two  cups  of  white  su- 
gar, one  of  water,  and  half  a  cup  of  vinegar.  Try  in  water 


256  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

as  for  molasses  candy ;  turn  into  a  shallow  pan,  and  work  as 
soon  as  cool  enough  to  handle.  Flavor,  before  pouring  from 
the  saucepan,  with  essence  of  lemon  or  any  thing  else  you 
please.  Cut  in  small  pieces. 

Chocolate  Caramels. 

Boil  together  for  twenty  minutes  one  cup  of  molasses,  one 
of  sugar,  one  of  chocolate,  and  half  a  cup  of  milk.  When 
nearly  done,  add  a  piece  of  butter  large  as  an  egg,  and  flavor 
with  vanilla.  Drop  a  little  in  water  to  ascertain  if  it  is  done. 
Stir  a  few  minutes,  and  then  pour  "upon  buttered  dishes. 
When  not  quite  cold,  mark  the  candy  in  little  squares  with 
the  back  of  a  knife. 

Camphor  Ice. 

Two  ounces  of  lard  or  nice  mutton-tallow,  the  same  of 
spermaceti,  one  ounce  of  white  wax,  half  an  ounce  of  cam- 
phor-gum, a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  glycerine.  Melt  all  to- 
gether with  as  little  heat  as  possible. 

Good  Cider  Vinegar. 

Put  one  gallon  of  rain-water,  and  three  of  good  cider,  into 
a  small  keg,  with  a  gimlet-hole  in  the  upper  end  to  admit  the 
air.  Set  it  in  the  sun  in  the  warm  season,  and  in  a  warm 
cellar  in  winter.  Shake  it  well  once  or  twice  a  week.  A 
large  demijohn  will  answer  instead  of  a  keg.  Tie  a  piece  of 
muslin  over  the  mouth  so  as  to  keep  out  the  flies,  and  yet  ad- 
mit the  air. 

Fresh  Pine-apple.* 

For  the  tea-table,  pare  one  pine-apple,  and  chop  it  fine  in 
a  tray  with  a  common  chopping  knife.  Put  it  in  a  deep  dish, 
and  mix  with  it  half  a  pint  of  powdered  sugar ;  more  if  the 
pine-apple  is  large.  Lefc  it  stand  several  hours. 


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/) 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS.  257 

Cider  (to  keep, sweet  and  sparkling). 

Let  the  new  cider  ferment  from  one  to  three  weeks  as  the 
weather  is  cold  or  warm.  When  it  has  attained  to  lively  fer- 
mentation, add  to  each  gallon,  according  to  its  acidity,  from 
one  half  to  two  pounds  white  sugar,  and  let  the  whole  fer- 
ment till  it  possesses  precisely  the  taste  which  it  is  desired 
should  remain  permanent.  In  this  condition,  pour  out  a  quart) 
of  the  cider,  and  add  for  each  gallon  one-quarter  ounce  of 
sulphite  of  lime  (anti-chloride).  Stir  the  powder  and  cider 
until  intimately  mixed,  and  return  it  to  the  cask.  Agitate 
briskly  and  thoroughly  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  let  the 
cider  settle.  The  fermentation  will  cease  at  once.  After  a 
few  days,  the  cider  has  become  clear.  Draw  off,  and  bottle 
carefully,  or  remove  the  sediment,  and  return  to  the  cask. 
If  loosely  corked,  or  kept  in  a  barrel  on  draught,  it  will  re- 
tain its  taste  as  still  cider.  If  put  id  bottles  carefully  corked, 
it  will  become  a  sparkling  cider. 

Lemon  Syrup. 

One  pound  of  loaf  or  crushed  sugar  to  every  half  pint  of 
lemon  juice.  Let  it  stand  twenty-four  hours,  or  till  the  sugar 
is  dissolved,  stirring  it  very  often  with  a  silver  spoon.  When 
dissolved,  wring  a  flannel  bag  very  dry  in  hot  water,  strain 
the  syrup,  and  bottle  it.  This  will  keep  almost  any  length  of 
time. 

Another  without  lemons. 

Put  six  pounds  of  white  sugar  to  three  pints  of  water,  and 
boil  five  minutes.  Have  ready  the  beaten  white  of  an  egg 
mixed  with  half  a  pint  of  water,  and  stir  it  into  the  boiling  mix- 
ture. In  a  few  minutes  a  scum  will  arise,  and  the  kettle  must 
be  set  off  from  the  fire,  and  stand  five  minutes  ;  then  remove 
the  scum.  When  it  is  almost  cold,  measure  it,  and  to  a  gallon 
of  syrup  put  three  ounces  of  tartaric  acid,  dissolved  in  half  a 
pint  of  hot  water  ;  add  at  the  same  time  a  large  teaspoonful  01 


258  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

the  oil  of  lemon.  When  it  is  cold,  bottle  it.  The  goodness  of 
the  syrup  (and  it  is  an  excellent  imitation  of  the  genuine),  de- 
pends on  the  oil  of  lemon  being  fresh.  If  this  is  in  the  least 
rancid,  it  will  spoil  the  syrup. 

Raspberry  Vinegar. 

To  two  quarts  of  raspberries,  put  a  pint  of  cider  vinegar. 
Let  them  lie  together  two  or  three  days ;  then  mash  them  up 
and  put  them  in  a  bag  to  strain.  To  every  pint,  when  strained, 
put  a  pound  of  best  sugar.  Boil  it  twenty  minutes,  and  skim  it. 
Bottle  it  when  cold. 

Currant  Wine. 

Use  sugar,  water,  and  currant  juice  in  these  proportions,  viz., 
one  quart  each  of  juice  and  the  best  of  sugar,  and  two  of  water. 
Put  the  mixture  into  a  tight  keg  with  a  faucet.  Leave  out  the 
bung  for  two  or  three  weeks,  and  then  put  it  in  loosely,  so  that 
if  it  continues  to  ferment  longer,  the  keg  will  not  burst.  After 
a  few  days  more  put  in  the  bung  tight.  Let  it  stand  a  year, 
and  then  draw  it  off  and  bottle  it. 

Another. 

To  one  gallon  of  currant  juice,  put  nine  pounds  of  the  best  of 
sugar,  and  two  gallons  of  water.  Set  it  where  it  won't  be  dis' 
turbed,  and  bottle  it  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

Currant  Shrub. 

Boil  currant  juice  five  minutes  with  loaf  or  crushed  sugar — a 
pound  of  sugar  to  a  pint  of  juice.  Stir  it  constantly  while  cook 
ing,  and  when  cold,  bottle  it.  A  spoonful  or  two  in  a  tumbler 
of  water  affords  a  refreshing  beverage. 

Sarsaparilla  Mead. 

Three  pounds  of  sugar,  three  ounces  of  tartaric  acid,  one 
ounce  of  cream  tartar,  one  of  flour,  one  of  essence  of  sarsapa- 


MISCELLANEOUS   RECEIPTS.  259 

rilla,  and  three  quarts  of  water.     Strain  and  bottle  it,  then  let  it 
stand  ten  days  before  using  it. 

English  Ginger  Beer 

Pour  four  quarts  of  boiling  water,  upon  an  ounce  and  a  half  of 
ginger,  an  ounce  of  cream  of  tartar,  a  pound  of  clean  brown 
sugar,  and  two  fresh  lemons,  sliced  thin.  It  should  be  wrought 
twenty-four  hours,  with  two  gills  of  good  yeast,  and  then  bottled. 
It  improves  by  keeping  several  weeks,  unless  the  weather  is 
hot,  and  it  is  an  excellent  beverage.  If  made  with  granu- 
lated sugar,  the  appearance  and  flavor  are  still  finer. 

Maple  Beer. 

To  four  gallons  of  boiling  water,  add  one  quart  of  maple  syrup 
and  a  small  table-spoonful  of  essence  of  spruce.  When  it  is 
about  milk  warm,  add  a  pint  of  yeast ;  and  when  fermented, 
bottle  it.  In  three  days  it  is  fit  for  use. 

Spring  Beer. 

Take  a  handful  of  checkerberry  (wintergreen),  a  few  sassjv 
fras  roots  cut  up,  a  half  a  handful  of  pine-buds,  while  they  are 
small  and  gummy,  and  a  small  handful  of  hops.*  Put  all 
these  into  a  pail  of  water  over  night,  and  in  the  morning  boil 
them  two  or  three  hours ;  fill  up  the  kettle  when  it  boils  away. 
Strain  it  into  a  jar  or  firkin  that  will  hold  a  half  a  pailful  more 
of  water.  Stir  in  a  pint  and  a  half  of  molasses,  then  add  the 
half  pailful  of  water,  and  taste  it.  If  not  sweet  enough  add 
more  molasses.  It  loses  the  sweetness  a  little  in  the  process 
of  fermentation,  and  should  therefore  be  made  rather  too  sweet 
at  first.  Add  two  or  three  gills  of  good  yeast,  set  it  in  a  warm 
place,  and  let  it  remain  undisturbed  till  it  is  fermented.  When 


*  If  dried  in  the  ordinary  way.     But  a  small  pinch  of  the  hops  put  up  in 
pound  packages  by  the  Shakers  is  enough. 


260  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

the  top  is  covered  with  a  thick  dark  foam,  take  it  off;  have 
ready  clean  bottles  and  good  corks  ;  pour  off  the  beer  into  an- 
other vessel,  so  gently  as  not  to  disturb  the  sediment ;  then  bot- 
tle it,  and  set  it  in  a  cool  place.  It  will  be  ready  for  use  in  two 
days.  The  sediment  should  be  put  into  a  bottle  by  itself, 
loosely  corked,  and  kept  to  ferment  the  next  brewing. 

Spruce  and  Boneset  Beer. 

Boil  a  small  handful  each  of  hops  and  boneset  for  an  hour 
or  two,  in  a  pailful  of  water ;  strain  it,  and  dilute  it  with  cold 
water  till  it  is  of  the  right  strength.  Add  a  small  table-spoon- 
ful of  essence  of  spruce,  sweeten,  ferment  and  bottle  it,  like  the 
spring  beer. 

The  essences  of  hops,  checkerberry,  ginger,  and  spruce,  put 
into  warm  water  in  suitable  proportions,  then  sweetened,  fer- 
mented, and  bottled,  make  good  beer. 

Rennet  Wine. 

Wash  a  third,  or  half  of  a  salted  rennet ;  wipe  it  dry  and  put 
it  into  a  bottle  of  wine.  The  wine  will  be  fit  to  use  for  custard 
the  next  day.  To  kejep  the  remainder  of  the  rennet  till  more  is 
needed,  put  it  into  a  strong  brine  and  cover  it  close. 

To  Boil  Cider. 

Take  cider  which  has  been  made  but  a  day  or  two,  and  boil 
it  nearly  half  away.  Skim  it  often.  It  will  keep  good  a  long 
time,  and  is  useful  in  making  mince  pies,  and  to  flavor  pudding 
sauce.  Bottle  it  and  cork  it  well.  A  mould  will  form  over 
the  top,  but  will  not  injure  the  cider. 

Cologne  Water. 

To  one  gallon  of  alcohol,  put  twelve  drachms  each,  of  oil  of 
lavender,  oil  of  bergamot,  and  essence  of  lemon ;  four  drachms 
of  oil  of  rosemary,  and  twelve  drops  of  oil  of  cinnamon. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS.  261 

Canadian  Liniment. 

For  rheumatism  or  sprains.  To  one  ounce  of  peppermint, 
put  one  .of  strong  spirits  of  ammonia.  Mix  these  well,  and 
add  one  ounce  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  one  of  olive  oil,  one 
of  alcohol,  and  half  an  ounce  of  strong  spirits  of  camphor. 
To  be  applied  with  a  piece  of  soft  flannel.  Keep  it  closely 
corked,  and  shake  before  using  it.  One  drachm  of  cayenne 
pepper  adds  to  its  efficiency. 

To  prevent  Books,  Ink,  Paste,  &c.,  from  moulding. 

A  drop  or  two  of  oil  of  lavender  on  a  book,  and  a  single  one 
in  a  pint  bottle  of  ink,  will  prevent  mould. 

Tooth  Powder. 

Two  ounces  of  Peruvian  bark,  two  of  myrrh,  one  of  chalk, 
one  of  Armenian  bole,  and  one  of  orris  root. 

Rose  Butter  (a  good  substitute  for  rose  water). 

Gather  every  morning  the  leaves  of  the  roses  that  blossomed 
the  day  before,  and  put  them  in  a  stone  jar  in  alternate  layers 
with  fine  salt.  After  all  the  leaves  are  gathered,  put  a  saucer 
or  small  plate  into  the  jar,  and  lay  in  a  pound  of  butter,  for 
cake  or  pudding  sauce.  It  is  a  very  good  way  of  obtaining  the 
flavor  of  roses,  without  expense. 

To  keep  Parsley. 

Gather  fresh  sprigs,  and  after  washing  them,  chop  them  fine, 
and  work  them  into  as  much  butter  as  will  be  needed  for  boiled 
poultry,  lamb,  and  fish,  before  the  next  summer.  Put  the  butter 
into  a  stone  jar,  and  cover  it  with  a  brine  made  with  nice  salt. 

To  keep  Suet. 

Pull  off  the  skin  or  membrane  from  fresh  suet,  sprinkle  salt 
upon  it,  tie  it  up  in  a  cloth  or  bag,  and  hang  it  in  a  cool,  dry 
place.  It  will  keep  sweet  the  year  round. 


2G2  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

To  keep  Eggs, 

To  tour  quarts  of  air-slacked  lime,  put  two  ounces  of  cream 
of  tartar  (that  is,  two  table-spoonfuls),  two  of  salt,  and  four 
quarts  of  cold  water.  Put  fresh  eggs  into  a  stone  jar,  and  pour 
the  mixture  over  them.  This  will  keep  nine  dozen,  provided 
they  are  all  good  when  laid  down ;  and  after  many  months,  the 
yolks  will  be  still  whole,  and  the  whites  stiff  and  clear  as  at 
first.  The  water  may  settle  away  so  as  to  leave  the  upper  layer 
uncovered.  If  so,  add  more.  Cover  them  closely  and  keep 
them  in  a  cool  place. 

Eggs  should  be  laid  down  when  they  are  at  the  lowest  market 
price. 

To  cleanse  a  Calf's  Head  and  Feet. 

Take  them  as  soon  as  the  animal  is  killed,  wash  them  clean, 
and  in  order  to  remove  the  hair,  sprinkle  pulverized  rosin  over 
them  and  dip  them  for  an  instant  in  scalding  water.  The  rosin 
will  dry  immediately,  and  they  can  be  easily  scraped  clean. 
Soak  them  from  one  to  three  days  in  cold  water,  changing  it 
repeatedly. 

To  kill  Cockroaches  and  Beetles. 

Strew  the  roots  of  black  hellebore,  at  night,  in  the  places  in- 
fested by  these  vermin,  and  they  will  be  found  in  the  morn- 
iug  dead,  or  dying.  Black  hellebore  grows  in  marshy  grounds, 
and  may  be  had  at  the  herb  shops. 

To  drive  away  Ants. 

The  little  red  ants  will  leave  closets  where  sea-sand  is 
sprinkled,  or  where  oyster-shells  or  sprigs  of  arbor  vitae  are 
laid. 

Scatter  sprigs  of  wormwood  in  places  infested  with  black 
ants. 

To  secure  Woollens,  Furs,  Furniture,  etc.,  from  Moths. 

Carefully  shake  and  brush  woollens  early  in  the  spring,  so  as 
to  be  certain  that  no  eggs  are  in  them ;  then  sew  them  up  in 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS.  263 

cotton  or  linen  wrappers,  putting  a  piece  of  camphor  gum,  tied 
up  in  a  bit  of  muslin,  into  each  bundle,  or  into  the  chests  and 
closets  where  the  articles  are  to  lie.  When  the  gum  is  evapo- 
rated it  must  be  renewed. 

A  lady  put  up  her  blankets  and  carpets  in  this  way  before 
going  to  Europe,  and  on  her  return,  three  or  four  years  after, 
found  every  article  safe  from  moths. 

Furs  should  not  be  hung  out  in  the  sun  in  the  spring  before 
being  put  away  for  the  season.  The  moth  miller  will  be  likely 
to  visit  them  when  thus  exposed.  They  should  be  put  into  a 
close  box  with  a  piece  of  camphor,  and  the  box  tied  up  in  a  pil- 
low case  or  bag. 

Blankets  that  are  in  use  only  occasionally  during  the  summer, 
should  be  laid  when  not  wanted,  under  a  mattress  in  constant 
use,  or  in  a  trunk  where  there  are  pieces  of  camphor  gum,  or 
cedar  chips.  It  would  be  a  most  convenient  arrangement  for 
housekeepers  to  have  a  closet  with  shelves  and  draws  made  of 
cedar  boards. 

It  is  more  difficult  than  it  used  to  be,  to  preserve  woollens, 
furs,  carpets,  and  furniture  from  being  injured  by  moths. 
Thirty  years  since  it  was  regarded  as  an  indication  of  very 
negligent  housekeeping  to  have  a  moth-eaten  carpet.  Now, 
the  utmost  care  will  not  always  preserve  carpets  from  being 
injured  in  this  way.  Perhaps  the  reason  may  be,  that  in  general, 
warehouses  and  dwellings  are  warmed  throughout,  during  the 
winter,  by  furnaces.  New  stuffed  and  cushioned  furniture  is- 
sometimes  found  to  contain  moths.  To  destroy  them,  pour  burn- 
ing fluid  plentifully  upon  the  cushions,  sofas,  &c.  If  it  is  fresh, 
it  will  leave  no  stain,  and  the  disagreeable  odor  will  soon  pass 
away.  To  preserve  a  carpet  that  cannot  be  often  shaken,  draw 
out  the  tacks  twice  a  year,  turn  back  the  edges  a  quarter  of  a 
yard  all  around,  brush  out  the  dust,  and  then  with  a  painter's 
brush  put  new  spirits  of  turpentine  upon  the  boards  as  far  as 
the  carpet  is  turned  back;  then  return  it  immediately  to  its 
place,  and  put  in  the  tacks. 

The  floors  of  some  houses  have  moths  in  the  cracks.     In  this 


264  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

case,  cedar  saw-dust  sprinkled  over  the  floor  before  laying  down 
the  carpet,  will  protect  it  from  these  diligent  mischief-workers. 
If  this  cannot  be  had,  use  tar-paper. 

To  kill  Moths. 

Take  furs  or  pillows  infested  with  moths,  and  put  them  into  a 
brick  oven  which  has  just  been  used  for  baking.  Let  them 
remain  over  night,  and  the  next  day  beat  them  well  in  the  open 
air. 

To  remove  the  Bad  Odor  from  New  Feathers. 

Make  a  cover  for  the  bed  of  some  coarse  material,  or  a  couple 
of  old  sheets ;  get  a  baker  to  put  it  into  his  oven  one  or  two 
nights.  A  better  way,  when  it  can  be  done,  is  to  send  the 
feathers  in  bags  to  a  baker's  oven,  before  they  are  put  into  the 
tick. 

To  purify  a  Sink  or  Drain. 

Dissolve  a  pound  or  two  of  chloride  of  lime  in  plenty  of 
water,  and  pour  down ;  or  use  carbolate  of  lime. 

To  take  out  Mildew. 

(This  and  the  next  receipt  were  furnished  by  a  chemist.) 
Obtain  the  dryest  chloride  of  lime  that  can  be  bought,  and 
for  strong  fabrics  dissolve  four  table-spoonfuls  in  a  half  a 
pint  of  water.  Let  the  mildewed  article  lie  fifteen  minutes  in 
this  solution.  Then  take  it  out,  wring  it  gently,  and  put  it 
immediately  into  weak  muriatic  -acid  —  one  part  of  the  acid 
and  four  parts  soft  water. 

For  delicate  fabrics,  laces,  muslins,  &c.,  the  solution  of  lime 
should  be  diluted  by  the  addition  of  three  or  four  times  the 
measure  of  water.  Let  the  article  lie  in  it  five  minutes ;  then 
put  it  into  the  .muriatic  acid. 

To  take  out  Iron  Mould. 

Dissolve  a  teaspoonful  of  salts  of  tin  in  two  table-spoonfuls 


MISCELLANEOUS    RECEIPTS.  265 

of  water.  Dip  the  iron-mould  into  the  solution,  and  let  it  rev 
main  five  minutes.  Then  dip  it  into  a  mixture  of  equal  parts 
of  muriatic  acid  and  water.  Dip  the  mould  spots  alternately 
into  these  mixtures,  or  make  the  first  one  stronger  with  the 
salts  of  tin,  and  apply  it  with  a  soft  rag  on  the  end  of  a  stick. 
Last  of  all,  rinse  the  articles  very  thoroughly  in  cold  water. 

A  simpler  method  of  removing  iron-mould  succeeds  well,  pro- 
vided it  is  recent,  and  not  very  dark.  Tie  up  a  teaspoonful  of 
cream  of  tartar  in  the  moulded  place,  and  put  it  into  cold  water 
without  soap,  and  boil  it  half  an  hour. 

To  take  out  Ink. 

Turn  boiling  water  upon  it  immediately,  in  this  way :  spread 
the  cloth  over  a  pitcher  or  basin,  with  the  ink-spots  in  the 
centre,  and  while  you  hold  it  in  its  place,  let  another  person 
turn  the  boiling  water  on  the  spots.  This  is  better  than  to  put 
the  article  into  boiling  water,  as  the  whole  will  then  be  tinged 
with  the  ink.  If  the  spots  are  still  visible,  tie  up  a  teaspoonful 
of  cream  of  tartar  in  the  places  where  they  are  —  more  for  a 
large  stain,  less  for  a  very  small  one  —  then  put  the  cloth  into 
cold  water  without  soap,  and  boil  it  half  an  hour.  If  it  is  not 
convenient  to  put  boiling  water  at  once  on  the  stains,  put  them 
in  cold  water ;  do  not  let  them  become  dry. 

Articles  that  have  been  stained  with  ink  or  fruit,  should  not 
be  put  into  soap  suds  until  the  stains  are  removed.  Soap  will 
tend  to  make  them  permanent. 

To  take  out  Fruit  Stains. 

Tie  up  cream  of  tartar  in  the  spots,  and  put  the  cloth  in  cold 
water,  to  boil ;  or  if  the  stains  are  much  spread,  stir  the  cream 
of  tartar  into  the  water.  If  they  are  still  visible,  boil  the  cloth 
in  a  mixture  of  subcarbonate  of  soda,  a  small  table-spoonful  to  a 
pail  of  water. 

To  take  out  Grease  or  Fresh  Paint. 

Rub  grease  spots  with  chloric  ether.     To  remove  paint,  the 


266  THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

ether  shou'id  De  applied  on  tne  other  side.  Good  benzine,  as 
prepared  for  such  use  by  apothecaries,  is  the  best  article  for 
removing  grease  or  spermaceti. 

To  remove  rust  from  Iron  Ware  and  Stoves. 

New  stove  or  range  furniture  is  sometimes  so  much  rusted 
as  to  make  the  use  of  it  very  inconvenient.  Put  into  a  rusty 
kettle  as  much  hay  as  it  will  hold,  fill  it  with  water  and  boil  it 
many  hours.  At  night  set  it  aside,  and  the  next  day  boil  it 
again.  If  it  is  not  entirely  fit  for  use,  repeat  the  process.  It 
will  certainly  be  effectual. 

Rub  the  rusty  spots  on  a  stove  with  sand-paper,  and  then 
with  sweet  oil. 

To  take  oiF  starch  or  rust  from  Flat-irons. 

Tie  up  a  piece  of  yellow  beeswax  in  a  rag,  and  when  the 
iron  is  almost,  but  not  quite  hot  enough  to  use,  rub  it  quickly 
with  the  wax,  and  then  with  a  coarse  cloth. 

To  prevent  Glass,  Earthen,  Potter's  and  Iron  Ware  from  be* 
ing  easily  broken. 

Put  dishes,  tumblers,  and  other  glass  articles  into  a  kettle ; 
cover  them  entirely  with  cold  water,  and  put  the  kettle  where 
it  will  soon  boil.  When  it  has  boiled  a  few  minutes,  set  it  aside, 
covered  close.  When  the  water  is  cold,  take  out  the  glass. 

Treat  new  earthen  ware  in  the  same  way.  When  potter's 
ware  is  boiled,  a  handful  or  two  of  bran  should  be  thrown  into 
the  water,  and  the  glazing  will  never  be  injured  by  acids  or 
salt. 

Cast-iron  stoves,  and  iron  ware  should  be  heated  gradually 
the  first  time  they  are  used. 

A  permanent  Cement  for  Glass,  China,  and  Wood. 

Steep  Russian  Isinglass  twenty-four  hours  in  white  brandy, 
gently  boil  and  stir  the  mixture  until  it  is  well  compounded, 
and  a  drop  of  it,  cooled,  will  become  a  very  thick  jelly ;  then 
Btrain  it  through  a  linen  cloth,  and  cork  it  up  closely.  A  gentlu 


MISCELLANEOUS    RECEIPTS.  267 

heat  will  dissolve  it  into  a  colorless  fluid.  Broken  dishes  united 
with  it,  will  break  elsewhere,  rather  than  separate  in  the  old 
fracture.  To  apply  it,  rub  the  edges,  place  them  together,  and 
hold  them  two  or  three  minutes. 

To  preserve  steel  Knives  from  Rust. 

Never  wrap  them  in  woollen  cloths.  When  they  are  not  to 
be  used  for  some  time,  have  them  made  bright,  and  perfectly 
dry  ;  then  take  a  soft  rag,  and  rub  each  blade  with  dry  wood- 
ashes.  Wrap  them  closely  in  thick  brown  paper  and  lay  them 
in  a  drawer  or  dry  closet.  Coal-ashes,  sifted  through  a  fine 
sieve,  rubbed  on  with  a  cork  dipped  into  hot  water  or  soft 
soap,  are  better  to  clean  steel  knives  than  Bristol-brick. 

To  prevent  Ivory  Knife  Handles  from  being  cracked. 

Never  let  knife  blades  stand  in  hot  water  as  is  sometimes 
done  to  make  them  wash  easily.  The  heat  expands  the  steel 
which  runs  up  into  the  handle  a  very  little,  and  this  cracks  the 
ivory.  Knife  handles  should  never  lie  in  water.  A  handsome 
knife,  or  one  used  for  cooking  is  soon  spoiled  in  this  way. 

To  remove  spots  from  Furniture. 

Paint,  or  white  spots  occasioned  by  spilling  medicine,  or  set- 
ting something  hot  upon  furniture,  can  be  removed  by  rubbing 
them  with  camphene. 

To  remove  Mortar  or  Paint  from  Windows. 

Rub  the  spots  of  mortar  with  a  stiff  brush  dipped  in  sharp, 

hot  vinegar,  and  paint  spots  with  burning  fluid  or  camphene 
and  sand,  or  rub  tho  spot  with  a  copper  cent. 

To  clean  Paint  with  Pumice-stone. 

Use  powdered  pumice-stone  instead  of  whiting  or  sand.  It 
cleans  paint  very  quickly,  and  without  injuring  it.  But  very 
little  should  be  put  on  the  cloth  at  once.  A  pint  of  it  is  enough 
to  clean  the  paint  of  a  large  house.  It  is  well  to  keep  it  on 
hand,  as  it  is  often  needed  for  removing  spots  from  paint,  and 
for  cleaning  closet  shelves. 


268  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Pomade. 

Half  a  pint  of  castor-oil,  half  an  ounce  of  white  wax,  half 
an  ounce  of  spermaceti,  half  an  ounce  of  bergamot,  oil  of 
almonds,  or  rose-geranium.  Melt  the  spermaceti  and  wax  in 
a  quart  bowl  set  into  the  top  of  the  teakettle ;  then  pour  in 
slowly  the  castor-oil,  stirring  constantly  five  minutes.  Then 
remove  it  from  the  fire,  and  set  it  into  a  basin  of  cold  water, 
and  continue  to  stir  it  until  it  is  white  and  creamy.  When  it 
has  been  beaten  an  hour,  add  the  perfume,  and  stir  a  little 
longer. 

Sweeping. 

Before  sweeping  a  carpeted  room,  set  the  vases  and  shelf- 
ornaments  near  together  on  a  table  ;  lay  the  books  and  small 
articles  on  a  table  or  couch.  Open  the  windows,  and  shut  the 
'doors.  Remove  the  chairs  and  light  articles  of  furniture  to  the 
entry.  Cover  the  furniture  that  remains  in  the  room  with  old 
sheets  or  skirts  of  old  calico  dresses  kept  on  purpose  to  protect 
furniture  from  dust.  A  new  housekeeper  may  not  have  these  ; 
and  pieces  of  American  cotton  should  be  provided. 

It  is  a  good  way  to  sprinkle  tea-leaves  squeezed  dry  upon 
the  carpet  across  one  side  of  the  room ;  then  sweep  them,  with 
short  strokes,  to  the  other  side.  Long  strokes  raise  a  great 
dust,  and  throw  the  tea-leaves  upon  the  legs  of  furniture,  be- 
sides wearing  the  carpet.  When  sweeping  a  cold  room  in  win- 
ter, sprinkle  a  little  snow  over  the  carpet  instead  of  tea- 
leaves.  Always  take  up  the  dirt  in  the  room  which  is  swept ; 
never  sweep  it  into  the  entry.  A  long  brush  is  good  for 
sweeping  oil-cloths  or  uncarpeted  floors.  After  sweeping, 
wait  at  least  twenty  minutes  for  the  dust  to  settle.  Keep 
always  a  supply  of  dusters  made  of  soft  old  calico,  silk, 
gingham,  or  half-worn  cotton.  They  should  be  hemmed,  or 
made  double,  else  they  will  not  come  out  of  the  wash 
ironed  and  ready  for  use.  With  one  of  these  wipe  the  walls 


TO    SWEEP   A    CEMENTED    CELLAR,    ETC.  269 

as  far  as  you  can  reach,  all  the  ledges,  and  the  furniture,  ex' 
cept  such  parts  as  are  carved,  for  which  use  a  feather-brush. 

Before  sweeping  a  chamber  or  bedroom,  cover  the  bed  with 
one  of  the  dust-sheets. 

To  Sweep  a  Cemented  Cellar. 

Open  the  windows,  shut  the  dampers  in  the  heat-pipes  of 
the  furnace,  and  close  the  registers  in  all  the  rooms  above. 
Sprinkle  the  floor  plentifully  with  a  watering-pot ;  then  sweep 
with  a  stiff  broom.  Let  the  dust  settle  for  an  hour ;  then 
sweep  down  the  walls,  brush  off  the  dust  from  the  furnace- 
pipes  and  from  any  shelves  there  may  be,  and  sweep  the  floor 
again  with  a  long-handled  soft  brush.  In%  winter,  as  there  is 
much  dust  from  the  furnace,  the  cellar  should  be  swept  once 
in  two  weeks,  at  least ;  in  summer,  not  so  frequently. 

How  to  Take  Care  of  Inlaid  Eloors  and  Hard-Wood  Staircases, 

(Of  black  walnut,  ash,  birch,  &c.) 

They  must  not  be  oiled  often,  because  it"  gives  them  a 
greasy  appearance.  When  entirely  new,  they  should  be  oiled 
once  in  two  or  three  months.  Be  careful  to  use  the  oil  spar- 
ingly, as  the  wood  will  not  look  so  well  if  you  apply  it  too 
freely.  Procure  it  of  a  house-painter.  A  quart  bottle  will 
last  some  time.  Put  it  on  with  a  brush,  and  rub  it  in  with  a 
soft  cloth  as  you  proceed.  During  the  interval  after  oiling,, 
wash  the  floors  and  stairs  every  week  or  two  with  hot  water 
having  a  little  soft  soap  in  it,  and  wiping  dry  with  old  flannel, 
or  soft,  thick  cotton.  Some  persons  wash  such  floors  occasion- 
ally with  skimmed  milk  and  water.  After  the  first  year,  oil 
them  not  oftener  than  once  or  twice  a  year ;  but  they  should 
be  washed  as  above  directed  every  week.  Sweep  them  with 
a  long-handled  soft  brush. 

To  Cleanse  Piano-Keys. 

Hub  them  with  a  little  alcohol  applied  with  a  soft  rag. 


270  THE  YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

To  polish  unvarnished  Mahogany  Furniture. 

First  take  out  ink  stains,  if  there  are  any,  by  touching  them 
with  spirits  of  salt.  Do  it  with  a  sponge  tied  upon  the  end  of 
a  stick  ;  then  wash  the  spots  instantly  with  vinegar,  and  make 
the  whole  surface  to  be  polished,  clean  with  it.  Then  rub  on 
the  following  preparation  with  a  woollen  cloth :  — 

Melt  together  in  an  earthen  pot  two  ounces  of  beeswax,  and 
half  an  ounce  of  alconet  root ;  then  take  it  from  the  fire  and  add 
two  ounces  of  spirits  of  wine,  and  half  a  pint  of  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine. Polish  with  a  soft  silk  cloth. 

Care  of  Bedsteads. 

Bedsteads  should  be  carefully  examined  often.  Two  or 
three  bugs  will  soon  multiply,  and  make  a  great  deal  of 
trouble.  Bedsteads  should  be  taken  down  spring  and  au- 
tumn. If  there  is  reason  to  suppose  they  are  infested,  spread 
an  old  sheet  on  the  floor  under  the  bedstead,  so  that,  if  any 
bugs  fall  off,  they  will  be  quickly  seen.  Have  ready  a  stick 
with  a  soft  rag  tied  on  the  end,  and  a  cup  or  dish  containing 
kerosene  or  benzine.  Apply  this  to  every  bug  and  to  the 
joints  of  the  bedstead,  and  see  that  every  crack  and  every 
possible  hiding-place  is  wet  with  it.  If  you  prefer  to  use 
bug-poison,  every  apothecary  can  furnish  it. 

To  clean  Paper  Hangings. 

Put  a  clean  soft  bag,  or  an  old  pillow-case  over  a  new  broom, 
and  gently  brush  the  dust  from  the  paper ;  then  take  crusts  of 
stale  bakers'  bread,  and  wipe  it  down  lightly,  beginning  at  the 
top.  If  you  rub  it,  the  dirt  will  adhere  to  the  paper.  After 
thus  brushing  all  around  the  upper  part  of  the  walls  with  the 
bread,  begin  just  above  where  you  left  off,  and  go  round  again. 
Do  thus  until  you  have  finished  the  paper.  The  dust  and 
crumbs  will  fall  together.  Whenever  a  room  is  cleaned  it  is  a 
good  way,  before  the  paint  and  windows  are  washed,  to  wipe 
the  paper  with  a  covered  broom  as  above  directed. 

To  prepare  earth  for  House  Plants. 

Put  together  equal  parts  of  the  three  following  things  —  soil 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS.  271 

from  the  sides  of  a  barn-yard,  well-rotted  manure,  and  leaf 
mould  firm  tlio  woods,  or  earth  from  the  inside  of  an  old  tree 
or  stump.  Add  a  small  quantity  of  sand.  For  Cactuses,  put 
as  much  sand  as  of  the  other  materials  and  a  little  fine  char- 
coal. 

To  raise  Hyacinths  in  Winter. 

When  they  are  put  into  the  glasses  or  earth,  set  them  into  a 
dark  closet  until  they  sprout.  If  they  are  in  glasses,  do  not  let 
the  water  touch  the  bulb,  by  an  inch.  When  the  roots  have 
shot  down  to  the  water,  fill  the  glass,  put  in  a  piece  of  charcoal, 
and  set  them  in  the  sun. 

Soot  Tea  for  Roses. 

Get  soot  from  a  stove  or  chimney  where  wood  is  used  for 
fuel,  put  it  into  an  old  pitcher,  and  pour  hot  water  upon  it. 
When  cool,  use  it  to  water  your  plants  every  few  days.  When 
it  is  all  used,  fill  up  the  pitcher  again  with  hot  water.  The 
effect  upon  plants,  especially  upon  roses  that  have  almost  hope- 
lessly deteriorated,  is  wonderful  in  producing  a  rapid  growth  of 
thrifty  shoots,  with  large  thick  leaves,  and  a  great  number  of 
richly-tinted  roses.  Never  despair  of  a  decayed  rose  till  this 
has  been  tried. 

To  destroy  Grass  in  Gravel  Walks. 

Scatter  the  cheapest  coarse  salt  along  the  edges,  and  where- 
ever  the  grass  is  springing. 

Even  the  Canada  thistle  can  be  rooted  out  by  cutting  off  the 
stalks  very  near,  but  not  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and 
putting  salt  on  them.  Old  brine,  not  fit  for  any  other  purpose, 
is  good  for  this. 

Use  to  be  made  of  Ashes,  Saw-dust,  etc. 

To  spread  ashes  upon  grass  makes  it  thrifty,  and  of  a  richer 
green.  Those  which  have  been  first  used  for  making  soap,  are 
as  good  for  the  purpose  as  new  ashes.  Let  them  be  scattered 
just  before  a  rain. 


272  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

If  you  cultivate  raspberries  and  blackberries,  have  saw- 
dust from  the  wood-house  put  around  them  once  a  year.  Where 
these  berries  grow  wild,  the  largest  ones  are  found  near  decayed 
stumps  and  logs. 

To  purify  a  Well. 

When  a  well  is  cleared  out,  if  any  offensive  substance  is  found 
in  it,  have  the  bottom  sprinkled  with  two  or  three  quarts  of 
quick-lime. 


As  a  general  rule,  it  is  most  economical  to  buy  the  best 
articles.  The  price  is,  of  course,  always  a  little  higher ;  but 
good  articles  spend  best.  It  is  a  sacrifice  of  money  to  buy  poor 
flour,  meat,  sugar,  molasses,  butter,  cheese,  lard,  &c.,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  injurious  effect  upon  the  health. 

Of  West  India  sugar  and  molasses,  the  Santa  Cruz  and  Porto 
Rico  are  considered  the  best.  The  Havana  is  seldom  clean. 
White  sugar  from  Brazil  is  sometimes  very  good.  Refined 
sugars  usually  contain  most  of  the  saccharine-  substance,  there- 
fore there  is  probably  more  economy  in  using  loaf,  crushed,  and 
granulated  sugars,  than  we  should  at  first  suppose. 

Butter  that  is  made  in  September  and  October  is  best  for 
winter  use.  Lard  should  be  hard  and  white,  and  that  which  is 
taken  from  a  hog  not  over  a  year  old,  is  best. 

Rich  cheese  feels  soft  under  the  pressure  of  the  finger.  That 
which  is  very  strong  is  neither  good  or  healthy.  To  keep  one 
that  is  cut,  tie  it  up  in  a  bag  that  will  not  admit  flies,  and  hang 
it  in  a  cool,  dry  place.  If  mould  appears  on  it,  wipe  it  off  with 
a  dry  cloth. 

Flour  and  meal  of  all  kinds  should  be  kept  in  a  cool,  dry 
place. 

The  best  rice  is  large,  and  has  a  clear,  fresh  look.  Old  rice 
sometimes  has  little  worms  and  black  insects  inside  the  ker- 
nels. Buy  the  Carolina  Head  rice. 


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MISCELLANEOUS   RECEIPTS.  273 

The  small  white  sago,  called  pearl  sago,  is  the  best.  The 
large  brown  kind  has  an  earthy  taste.  These  articles,  and 
tapioca,  ground  rice,  &c.,  should  be  kept  covered. 

The  cracked  cocoa  is  the  best,  but  that  which  is  put  up  in 
pound  papers  is  often  very  good. 

Shells  are  apt  to  be  musty.  Try  a  quarter  of  a  pound  before 
buying  a  quantity. 

To  select  nutmegs,  prick  them  with  a  pin.  If  they  are  good, 
the  oil  will  instantly  spread  around  the  puncture. 

Keep  coffee  by  itself,  as  its  odor  affects  other  articles.  Keep 
tea  in  a  close  chest  or  canister. 

Oranges  and  lemons  keep  best  wrapped  close  in  soft  paper, 

When  a  cask  of  molasses  is  bought,  draw  off  a  few  quarts, 
else  the  fermentation  produced  by  moving  it  will  burst  the  cask. 

Bread  and  cake  should  be  kept  in  a  tin  box~  or  stone  jar. 

Salt  cod  should  be  kept  in  a  dry  place,  where  the  odor  of  it 
will  not  affect  the  air  of  the  house.  The  best  kind  is  that 
which  is  called  Dun,  from  its  peculiar  color.  Fish-skin  for 
clearing  coffee  should  be  washed,  dried,  cut  small,'  and  kept  in 
a  box  or  paper  bag. 

Soft  soap  should  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  in  the  cellar,  and 
should  not  be  used  till  three  months  old. 

Bar  soap  should  be  cut  into  pieces  of  a  convenient  size, 
and  laid  where  it  will  become  dry.  It  is  well  to  keep  it  several 
weeks  before  using  it,  as  it  spends  fast  when  it  is  new. 

Cranberries  will  keep  all  winter  in  a  firkin  of  water  in  the 
cellar. 

Potatoes  should  be  put  into  the  cellar  as  soon  as  they  are 
dug.  Lying  exposed  to  the  sun  turns  them  green,  and  makes 
them  watery.  Some  good  housekeepers  have  sods  laid  over 
barrels  of  potatoes  not  in  immediate  use.  To  prevent  them 
from  sprouting  in  the  spring,  turn  them  out  upon  the  cellar-bot- 
tom. 

To  thaw  frozen  potatoes,  put  them  in  hot  water.     To  thaw 


274  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

frozen  apples,  put  them  in  cold  water.     Neither  will  keep  long 
after  being  frozen. 

Cabbages  should  be  buried  in  sand,  with  the  roots  upward. 

Celery  should  also  be  buried  in  sand. 

Turnips  and  beets  should  be  put  in  a  dry  part  of  the  cellar. 
Carrots  keep  anywhere.  Onions  keep  best  spread,  and  in  a 
cool  place,  but  should  not  freeze.  Parsnips  are  best  buried  in 
a  pit  in  the  garden,  and  not  opened  till  March  or  April,  in  coVd 
parts  of  the  country. 

Squashes  should  be  kept  in  a  dry  place,  and  as  cold  as  may 
be  without  freezing. 

Apples  should  remain  out  of  doors  in  barrels  till  the  weather 
becomes  too  cold.  They  should  not  be  headed  up  immediately 
after  being  gathered,  as  a  moisture  accumulates  upon  them 
which  causes  them  to  decay.  When  brought  in,  set  them  in  a 
back  room,  until  the  weather  requires  their  being  put  into  the 
cellar.  A  linen  cloth  laid  over  them  will  keep  them  from  frost 
till  very  cold  weather.  Many  good  housekeepers  prefer  not  to 
have  apples  headed  up  at  all.  There  is  an  advantage  in  being 
able  to  pick  them  over  several  times  in  the  course  of  a  winter, 
as  one  defective  apple  injures  all  its  neighbors.  If  they  are 
moist,  wipe  them. 

Herbs  should  be  gathered  when  just  beginning  to  blossom  ; 
as^they  are  then  in  their  perfection.  Medicinal  herbs  should  be 
dried,  put  up  in  paper  bags,  and  labelled.  Those  used  in  cooking 
should  be  pounded,  sifted,  and  put  into  labelled  boxes  or  bottles. 
Herbs  retain  their  virtue  best,  to  be  dried  by  artificial  heat. 
The  warmth  of  an  oven  a  few  hours  after  the  bread  is  drawn,  is 
sufficient. 

Inspect  every  part  of  your  house  often,  and  let  every  place 
be  neatly  kept.  Habits  of  order  in  housekeeping  save  a  great 
deal  of  time  and  trouble,  and  the  most  thorough  way  of  doing 
every  thing,  is  the  most  economical  of  labor  and  money,  in  the 
end. 

Every  thing  used  in  the  preparation  of  food  should  be  kept 
clean.  A  half  washed  pot  or  saucepan,  or  a  dingy  brass  kettle, 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,   ETC.  275 

will  spoil  the  articles  cooked  in  them.  A  lady  should  accustom 
herself  to  such  habits  of  attention  to  her  household  concerns, 
that  careless  ways  on  the  part  of  those  who  serve  her,  will  not 
escape  her  observation.  Unfaithfulness  in  servants  is  the  sure 
result  of  ignorance  or  negligence  in  the  housekeeper. 


DIRECTIONS    ABOUT   WASHING,    &c. 

THE  design  of  these  directions  is  to  assist  the  inexperienced; 
to  teach  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  business  of  wash' 
ing,  how  to  do  it,  and  those  who  can  afford  to  employ  others, 
how  to  direct  them ;  and  also  to  discover  where  the  fault  lies 
when  it  is  not  done  well. 

As  I  write  only  for  the  uninitiated,  I  shall  be  excused  for 
being  very  minute  ;  and  for  giving  some  preliminary  hints, 
needed  only  by  learners. 

For  the  family  wash,  good  water,  and  good  soap  are  indis- 
pensable. Rain,  river,  or  spring  water  is  best,  but  in  some 
places  the  well-water  is  soft,  and  good  for  washing.  Clothes 
washed  repeatedly  in  hard  water  with  common  soap,  will  soon 
become  too  yellow  to  be  worn,  and  can  never  be  made  white 
again.  As  the  supply  of  soft  water  sometimes  fails  where  a 
cistern  is  depended  on,  it  may  be  well  to  mention  that  hard 
water  can  be  made  to  answer  the  purpose,  temporarily,  by  dis- 
solving in  it  the  sub-carbonate  of  soda,  commonly  called  wash-, 
ing-soda.  Put  a  large  table-spoonful  into  three  or  four  pails  of 
water  while  it  is  heating,  and  then  use  the  olive-soap  both  for 
rubbing  and  boiling  the  clothes.  Remember  that  soda  must 
not  be  used  hi  washing  calicoes  or  flannels.  It  will  spoil  both. 
Here  it  may  be  well  to  say  that  white  clothes  which  are  con- 
stantly washed  with  soda,  will,  when  laid  aside  a  few  months 
become  of  a  deep  yellow  color,  not  easily  removed  by  any 
ordinary  bleaching  process. 


276  THE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

Provide  a  wash  bench  of  convenient  height,  three  tubs,  one  q 
large  one  for  rinsing,*  a  water  ladle,  a  pail  to  be  kept  for  use 
about  the  washing  alone,  a  washing  board,  a  clothes  stick, 
clothes  pins,  a  line  and  two  baskets  ;  one  cheap  coarse  one  in 
which  to  drain  the  clothes,  when  taken  from  the  boiling-kettle, 
and  a  better  one  for  taking  them  to  the  line,  and  for  laying 
them  in  to  when  folded  for  the  ironing.  Have  good  soft  soap, 
which,  if  you  cannot  readily  procure  at  the  manufactory,  you 
can  make  with  very  little  trouble.f  Bar-soap  is  not  necessary 
for  white  clothes,  provided  the  soft  is  of  a  nice  quality.  The 
olive  soap  is  a  great  improvement  on  the  common  yellow  soap. 
If  it  is  several  months  old,  it  spends  economically,  cleanses 
quickly,  and  is  not  sharp  to  the  hands. 

When  clothes  are  very  much  soiled,  they  should  be  put  into 
a  tub  of  warm  suds  over  night. 

Borax  soap  is  so  effectual  in  cleansing  soiled  clothes,  that  the 
use  of  it  essentially  diminishes  the  labor  of  washing.  To  prepare 
it,  put  together  bar  soap,  borax,  and  hot  water  in  the  following 
proportions,  —  a  pound  of  the  soap,  cut  into  small  pieces,  an  ounce 
of  powdered  borax,  and  a  quart  of  hot  water.  Mix  the  ingredi- 
ents together  over  the  fire,  but  see  that  it  does  not  boil.  When 
it  is  cold,  cut  it  up  in  cakes,  and  use  it  like  common  hard  soap« 
Put  the  clothes  which  are  most  soiled,  or  if  you  choose,  all  the 
white  clothes  of  the  wash  into  quite  a  warm  suds  made  with 
this  soap,  and  let  them  remain  from  Saturday  evening  until 


*  A  large  painted  wash-tub  is  expensive,  and  it  may  be  convenient  to  some 
persons  to  know  that  a  very  good  rinsing  tub  can  be  made  of  a  flour  bar- 
rel. Take  one  that  is  clean  and  well  made ;  have  the  upper  part  sawed 
off  about  nine  inches.  See  that  there  are  no  nails  sticking  through. 
Make  three  holes  large  enough  to  admit  the  fingers,  in  two  opposite  staves, 
to  serve  for  handles.  If  there  are  cracks,  caulk  them,  and  fill  the  tub  with 
water.  The  water  will  soon  swell  the  staves  so  as  to  close  the  cracks ;  and 
when  it  has  once  done  leaking,  keep  it  always  turned  down  in  the  cellar 
when  not  in  use.  All  kinds  of  tubs  and  firkins  should  be  turned  down  on. 
the  cellar  floor,  to  prevent  them  from  leaking, 
t  See  two  receipts,  p.  235. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,   ETC.  277 

Monday  morning.  This  method  is  recommended  by  very  good 
housekeepers. 

To  do  the  Washing.  Sort  the  clothes,  putting  the  finest  and 
cleanest  by  themselves,  to  be  washed  first,  and  the  coarse  and 
more  soiled  ones  together.  Where  there  are  white  clothes 
enough  to  make  two  or  three  boilings,  sort  them  accordingly ; 
always  boil  coarse  towels  by  themselves.  If  there  are  fine  cali- 
coes, nice  ginghams,  or  delicate  printed  muslins,  separate  them 
from  the  common  ones,  and  also  the  white  flannel,  angola,  or 
merino  articles  from  the  colored  woollens. 

The  tub  should  be  a  third  full  of  water,  not  hot,  but  very 
warm.  Stir  in  soap  enough  to  make  a  weak  suds,  and  put  in  the 
nicest  clothes.  Hub  handkerchiefs,  night-caps,  and  other  fine 
articles  between  the  hands,  using  a  little  soap.  Never  rub  them 
on  a  washboard.  As  fast  as  they  are  washed,  wring  and  shake 
them  open,  and  put  them  into  an  old  pillow  case  or  white  bag, 
else  they  will  be  liable  to  be  torn  by  the  weight  of  the  larger 
articles  when  taken  out  of  the  boiling  kettle.  Some  persons 
keep  a  large  bag  in  which  they  boil  all  the  white  clothes  to- 
gether ;  if  the  kettle  is  a  nice  one,  so  that  there  is  no  danger  of 
iron  mould,  or  rrny  kind  of  stain,  it  is  better  to  boil  them  with- 
out it.  Use  a  wash-board  for  the  large  articles,  and  for  those 
which  are  not  easily  made  clean,  and  use  more  soap  than  for  the 
fine  things,  taking  special  pains  with  places  that  are  most  soiled. 
All  articles  worn  upon  the  person  should  be  washed  on  both 
sides,  and  special  pains  taken  with  seams  and  hems.  If  there 
are  streaks  which  you  cannot  entirely  wash  out,  rub  soap  on 
them  after  you  have  wrung  out  the  article  ready  for  the  boiling. 

Lay  all  the  washed  clothes  together  in  an  empty  tub  or  the 
draining  basket,  until  you  have  enough  for  the  first  boiling. 
Then  dip  out  all  th$  hot  water  from  the  kettle  into  a  tub,  and 
cover  it  over  with  a  thick  cloth,  in  order  to  keep  it  hot  for  wash- 
ing more  clothes.  Put  a  pail  or  two  of  cold  water  into  the  ket- 
tle, and  a  large  spoonful  of  soft  soap  —  more  if  the  kettle  is  a 
large  one.  Shake  open  and  lay  in  the  clothes,  and  add  enough 
more  water  to  cover  them.  Do  not  crowd  the  boiler  very  full ; 


278  THE   YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

the  clothes  will  not  look  as  well,  and  beside,  the  water  will  be 
continually  boiling  over.  Have  a  good  fire,  push  the  clothes 
down  often  with  the  stick,  and  let  them  boil  steadily,  half  an 
hour.  Set  the  draining  basket  upon  a  tub,  with  two  or  three 
strips  of  board  laid  across,  to  keep  it  up.  A  little  frame,  some- 
what like  the  cheese  ladder  used  in  a  dairy,  is  more  convenient. 
Place  the  tub  near  the  boiler,  and  take  out  the  clothes  with  the 
stick.  When  this  is  done,  dip  out  part  of  the  boiling  suds,  cover 
it,  and  set  it  aside  to  be  used  as  occasion  requires.  Add  cold 
water  to  the  kettle,  and  put  in  more  clothes.  Continue  wash- 
ing until. all  the  white  clothes  are  rubbed,  remembering  to  dip 
out  part  of  the  dirty  water  from  the  tub  now  and  then,  and  add 
some  of  the  boiling  suds  which  you  have  kept  covered.  When 
the  clothes  in  the  basket  are  well  drained,  put  them  into  a  tub 
of  clean  cold  water,  and  take  more  clothes  from  the  boiler  into 
the  draining  basket.  When  all  the  white  clothes  are  rubbed, 
and  while  the  last  of  them  are  still  boiling,  get  the  second  rins- 
ing water  ready  in  the  largest  tub.  (Some  people  have  an  idea 
that  clothes  look  best  rinsed  in  hard  water,  because  rain-water 
is  not  so  white  as  the  other.  But  rain-water  is  the  best,  because 
it  takes  out  the  soap  more  thoroughly.)  Fill  the  rinsing  tub 
two  thirds  full  of  water,  squeeze  the  blue-bag  in  it  two  or  three 
times,  and  stir  till  the  water  is  equally  blue."* 

When  you  wring  the  clothes  from  the  first  rinsing-water,  see 
whether  the  streaks  you  could  not  rub  out  have  disappeared. 
If  not,  they  can  probably  be  removed  quickly  now.  Wring 
the  clothes  dry,  else  the  suds  remaining  in  them  will  make  the 
last  rinsing  water  soapy.  If  the  wash  is  large,  dip  off  part  of 


*  To  make  a  blueing-bag,  take  a  very  thick  piece  of  cotton  or  a  doubled 
piece,  and  stitch  a  close  seam  near  the  edge,  on  three  sides,  then  turn  it 
and  stitch  it  round  again;  put  in  a  piece  of  indigo  as  large  as  an  egg,  sew 
the  end  twice  across,  and  put  on  a  loop.  If  it  is  slightly  made,  too  much 
of  the  indigo  will  come  out  into  the  water.  Keep  it  hung  up  where  it  will 
not  become  dusty. 

The  Spanish  indigo  is  best.  It  is  hard,  and  of  a  rich  deep  color.  Poor 
Indigo  breaks  easily,  and  shows  a  slightly  greenish  tinge  in  the  sunlight. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR   WASHING,    ETC.  279 

the  water,  when  half  of  the  clothes  are  wrung  out,  and  add  clean 
water,  and  a  little  more  blueing.  Strength,  and  some  practice 
arc  necessary,  to  wring  large  articles  dry,  and  the  appearance 
of  the  clothes  will  but  poorly  pay  for  the  labor  bestowed,  if  this 
part  of  the  work  is  not  well  done.  Perhaps  it  is  the  most 
fatiguing  part  of  washing.  Much  labor  can  be  saved  by 
using  a  good  clothes- wringer,  of  which  there  are  several  in 
the  market. 

When  the  white  clothes  are  upon  the  line,  take  boiling  suds 
and  wash  the  coarse  towels  ;  boil  them  in  a  clean  water,  or  in 
some  of  the  last  rinsing-water.  Wash  them  thoroughly  as  the 
,  table-cloths  ;  not  negligently  because  they  are  coarse.  If  the 
weather  is  wet,  let  the  clothes  lie  in  the  rinsing-water  till  a 
fair  day,  but  omit  the  blueing,  as  it  will  be  apt  to  settle  in 
streaks  upon  them  ;  or  some  of  the  articles  will  be  very  blue, 
while  others  will  not  be  so  at  all.  If  the  weather  threatens  to 
be  rainy,  better  not  put  them  out,  as  they  cannot  be  taken  in 
half  dry,  and  carried  out  while  damp  to  be  put  on  the  line 
again,  without  getting  more  or  less  soiled.  If  the  wind  is  vio- 
lent, let  them  lie  in  the  water  even  if  it  is  fair  (unless  they  can 
be  hung  up  in  an  attic  or  wood-house  chamber  or  in  a  yard 
sheltered  from  the  wind),  as  the  hems  will  very  likely  be 
snapped  from  the  corners  of  the  sheets  and  table-cloths,  and  all 
the  clothes  will  be  more  worn  (even  if  they  are  not  torn)  by 
being  blown  half  a  day,  than  by  two  months'  use  from  week  to 
week.  In  the  winter  when  they  will  freeze  stiff  in  a  few 
minutes,  and  there  is  a  strong  wind,  they  are  liable  to  be  torn. 
I  have  known  a  large  and  new  table-cloth,  cracked  completely 
across,  in  a  few  minutes  after  being  hung  out.  Small  and  fine 
articles,  like  caps,  collars,  handkerchiefs,  and  baby's  dresses 
should  be  dried  in  the  house  in  severe  winter  weather.  Clothes 
are  made  very  white  by  the  night  frosts,  and  where  the  yard  is 
sheltered  from  the  wind  it  is  well  to  leave  them  out  sometimes 
for  that  reason,  provided  there  is  no  <fanger  °f  their  being 
stolen. 

When  the  last  boiling  is  done,  dip  out  all  the  water  and  save 


280  THE   YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

it  as  before.  Heat  clean  water  for  the  flannels  and  other  wool- 
lens. These  should  be  washed  in  quite  warm  water  with  good 
soft  soap.  Bar-soap  makes  woollens  hard  and  wiry.  Wash 
the  finest  and  most  delicate  articles  first.  If  they  are  much 
soiled,  use  considerable  soap  so  as  to  get  them  clean  quickly 
without  much  rubbing,  for  it  is  this  which  fulls  up  flannels,  as 
we  may  know  from  the  fact  that  it  is  by  a  similar  process 
cloth  is  made  thick  at  the  fulling-mill.  As  fast  as  they  are 
done  throw  them  into  a  plenty  of  scalding  water.  If  they  lie  in 
a  pile  until  all  are  washed,  they  will  shrink.  When  you  can 
bear  your  hands  in  the  water,  wring  them  and  throw  them  into 
another;  from  this  last  water  wring  them  dry,  snap  them  well,( 
and  hang  them  out.  Few  people  rinse  flannels  twice,  but  they 
look  enough  better  to  pay  for  the  trouble.  If  the  soap  is  not 
rinsed  out,  they  will  shrink,  and  also  become  yellow.  The 
water  used  for  the  white  flannels  is  fit  for  the  colored  ones,  and 
for  mixed  footings,  or  calicoes.  All  sorts  of  stockings  should  be 
washed  first  on  the  right  side,  and  then  upon  the  other. 

Red  flannel  preserves  the  color  best,  and  is  softest,  washed 
in  hard  water.  A  sailor's  red  flannels,  that  have  been,  during  a 
long  voyage,  often  tied  to  a  rope  and  towed  through  the  waves, 
look  better  and  feel  softer  than  those  washed  at  home.  A  word 
here  in  regard  to  the  purchase  of  flannels,  will  not  be  out  of 
place.  It  is  the  best  economy  to  buy  those  made  of  soft  wool. 
They  will  shrink  very  little,  while  coarse  wool  flannels  will 
grow  small  and  thick  every  week,  and  no  pains-taking  can  pre- 
vent it, 

After  hanging  out  the  woollens,  wash  the  calicoes  in  clean 
water,  with  hard  soap,  and  rinse  them  twice.  Have  the 
starch*  ready,  and  dip  them  before  they  are  hung  up.  Calicoes 
should  be  thrown  into  the  rinsing  water  as  fast  as  they  are 
washed.  Even  firm  colors  are  injured  by  lying.  If  the  weather 
is  not  fair  leave  them  in  the  second  rinsing,  but  put  the  light 
and  dark  ones  into  separate  tubs,  unless  the  colors  are  perfectly 

*  To  make  starch,  see  page  287. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,    ETC.  281 

fast.  Put  a  little  salt  into  the  water.  They  will  not  be  injured 
any  more  than  white  clothes,  by  lying  in  the  water  over  night. 
.Nice  calicoes  and  ginghams  should  be  dried  in  the  shade,  and  so 
put  upon  the  line  as  to  dry  quickly.  Hang  a  dress  in  an  angle 
of  the  line  near  the  post,  with  the  waist  down  ;  put  one  pin  at 
the  turn  of  the  line,  and  one  on  each  side,  a  few  feet  from  the 
angle,  so  that  the  hem  of  the  skirt  will  form  a  triangle. 
When  the  skirt  is  dry,  except  near  the- waist,  shake  open  the 
waist  and  sleeves,  and  reverse  the  dress,  pinning  the  shoulders 
to  the  line. 

Calicoes  should  not  be  sprinkled  till  the  morning  of  the  day 
they  are  ironed.  The  colors  sometimes  run  together  when  they 
are  folded  over  night,  and  in  very  warm  weather,  the  starch  in 
a  dress  that  is  sprinkled  in  the  evening  will  become  sour  by  the 
next  morning.  In  July  and  August,  damp  clothes  that  lie 
folded  together  two  nights,  are  very  liable  to  become  mildewed. 
Care  should  be  taken  that  soiled  articles  are  not  put  aside  in  a 
damp  state,  during  the  week,  for  the  next  wash.  Sad  accidents 
have  occurred  through  want  of  care  in  this  particular. 

For  the  assistance  of  ladies  who  are  not  able  to  detect  the 
reasons,  if  their  clothes  do  not  come  from  the  laundry  in  good 
order,  I  will  specify  a  few  particulars  as  to  the  causes. 

If  good  water  and  soap  are  provided,  and  yet  the  white 
clothes  look  badly,  it  is  owing  to  one,  or  possibly,  all,  of  the  fol- 
lowing things  —  their  not  being  well  assorted,  the  coarse  clothes, 
and  those  most  soiled  being  washed  and  boiled  with  the  best 
ones  ;  or  perhaps  those  places  which  required  special  care,  had 
no  more  rubbing  than  other  parts.  If  the  seams  of  under- 
clothes are  not  clean,  it  is  because  they  are  not  turned,  after 
being  washed  on  the  right  side,  and  well  rubbed  on  the  other. 
If  the  clothes  look  yellow,  perhaps  the  washer  uses  too  small  a 
quantity  of  water,  and  neglects  to  dip  off,  often,  that  which  is 
cool  and  dirty,  and  add  more  which  is  hot ;  and  very  likely  too 
many  are  crowded  into  the  boiler  at  onc,e.  If  they  are  not 
wrung  dry  from  the  first  rinsing-water,  before  being  thrown 
into  the  second,  they  will  be  yellow ;  and  lastly,  if  they  are  not 


282  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

well  wrung  out  of  the  second,  they  will  have  soapy  streaks  in 
the  gathers  and  hem^.  If  spots  of  iron  mould  appear,  perhaps 
the  washer  is  not  careful  to  avoid  touching  the  clothes  while 
wet,  to  the  wire  handles  of  the  tubs  or  pails.  If  the  calicoes 
fade  more  than  you  had  reason  to  expect,  very  likely  they  are 
washed  in  boiling  suds.  The  soft  soap  in  it  will  spoil  them  ; 
and  besides,  it  is  never  clean  enough  for  nice  calicoes.  It  is  a 
good  way  to  have  calico  dresses  washed  on  some  other  day  by 
themselves ;  it  will  be  easier  to  have  them  done  well.  If  the 
flannels  are  becoming  dingy,  it  may  be  that  they  too  are  washed 
in  the  water  in  which  the  white  clothes  were  boiled,  and  then 
rinsed  but  once.  If  they  shrink,  although  made  of  fine  wool, 
probably  the  soap  is  not  all  rinsed  out,  and  that  they  were  laid 
together  in  a  pile,  and  became  cold  before  they  were  thrown 
into  scalding  water.  If  they  retain  the  wrinkles  after  being 
ironed,  they  were  not  well  shaken  out  (or  snapped)  before  being 
put  out  to  dry.  They  should  not  be  sprinkled  ;  but  if  laid  in 
the  basket  over  night  with  the  folded  white  clothes,  they  will 
be  just  damp  enough  to  iron  smooth.  If  the  toes  of  the  foot- 
ings, and  woollen  stockings  feel  stiff,  they  were  not  washed 
clean. 

Some  domestics  bestow  great  care  upon  the  nicest  articles, 
and  take  no  pains  with  common  ones.  This  is  neither  neat  or 
economical.  All  clothes  that  are  both  washed  and  ironed  well, 
keep  clean  longest. 

There  are  some  advantages  in  a  lady's  taking  the  clothes 
from  the  bars,  after  they  are  ironed,  herself.  She  sees  at  once 
whether  they  are  well  washed  without  the  trouble  of  unfolding 
them  to  examine,  and  all  those  which  need  mending  can  then 
be  most  conveniently  laid  apart  from  the  rest.  I  will  only  add 
to  these  minute  directions,  that  the  boiler  should  be  left  per- 
fectly dry,  and  the  tubs,  &c.,  rinsed  and  put  away  clean.*  It  is 
good  economy  after  the  usual  cleaning  is  done,  to  save  all  the 
suds  to  water  the  garden  and  trees.  The  good  effects  will  soon 
reward  the  trouble. 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,    ETC.  283 

Starching,  Ironing,  and  Polishing  Gentlemen's  Linen. 

To  make  the  Starch  —  Dissolve  three  table-spoonfuls  of  the 
best  of  starch  in  cold  water,  and  stir  it  very  fast  into  a  quart  of 
boiling  water,  and  boil  it  half  an  hour.  Five  minutes  before  it 
is  done,  put  in  a  piece  of  spermaceti  the  size  of  a  large  walnut, 
and  stir  until  it  is  well  mixed.  Dip  the  linen  as  soon  as  you 
can  bear  your  hands  in  the  starch,  and  see  that  every  part  is 
thoroughly  wet,  or  you  will  have  what  are  called  blisters.  Fold 
the  collars  in  a  dry  towel.  Fold  the  shirts  through  the  middle 
up  and  down,  so  as  to  bring  the  two  parts  of  the  bosom  together, 
that  the  starch  may  not  get  on  any  other  part  of  the  shirt.  Let 
them  lie  over  night.  r 

A  bosom  board  is  indispensable.  Have  a  piece  of  board 
eight  inches  by  eighteen ;  cover  one  side  with  three  thicknesses 
of  flannel ;  fasten  it  at  the  edges  with  small  tacks.  Then  cover 
both  sides  with  three  thicknesses  of  cotton,  sewed  on  tight  and 
perfectly  smooth. 

Iron  a  shirt  completely  (the  bosom  upon  the  side  of  the  board 
where  the  flannel  is),  then  hang  it  on  the  bars  to  air.  After 
about  an  hour,  lay  the  bosom  on  the  hard  side  of  the  board, 
dip  a  soft  towel  in  cold  water,  wring  it  dry,  and  brush  the  bosom 
until  it  looks  a  little  damp.  Then  lay  it  upon  the  softest  side 
and  use  the  polishing  iron  quickly,  pressing  with  all  your 
strength.  The  polishing  iron  is  very  different  from  the  common 
flat-iron,  and  far  better  for  this  use.  It  is  oblong,  and  rounded 
at  each  end.  They  are  to  be  found  at  all  the  hardware  stores, 
and  are  not  expensive.  If  there  is  any  roughness  upon  the 
iron,  touch  it  when  nearly  hot  with  bees-wax  tied  up  in  a  rag. 

A  porcelain,  or  tin  saucepan  should  be  kept  for  making 
starch,  and  used  for  nothing  else.  The  linen  ironed  by  the 
lady  who  furnished  these  directions,  was  an  ample  recommend- 
ation of  them. 

To  wash  Calicoes,  the  colors  of  which  are  not  Fast. 

Pare  and  cut  up  a  dozen  or  fifteen  potatoes,  and  boil  them  in 
five  or  six  quarts  of  water.  Strain  off  the  water  through  a  hair 


284  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

sieve,  and  when  it  is  cool  enough  to  put  your  hands  in  it,  wash 
the  dress  without  soap.  The  starch  imparted  to  the  water  by 
the  potatoes  will  cleanse  it,  and  also  make  it  stiff  enough  with- 
out other  starch  even  after  passing  through  the  rinsing  water. 
If  there  is  green  in  the  calico,  dissolve  a  piece  of  alum  half  as 
large  as  an  egg,  in  a  pailful  of  water  to  rinse  it.  If  there  are 
grease  spots  upon  a  dress,  a  thread  should  be  run  around  them 
before  it  is  washed,  so  that  those  places  may  receive  special 
care,  else  they  will  be  as  distinct  as  ever,  after  being  ironed. 
If  washing  does  not  remove  them,  use  chloric  ether,  or  new 
spirits  of  turpentine.  Some  very  nice  managers  use  beef's  gall 
in  washing  calicoes  to  prevent  their  being  faded.  It  is  good  for 
the  purpose,  but  the  odor  is  unpleasant,  and  will  be  perceptible 
when  the  dress  is  worn,  unless  it  is  used  sparingly.  A  table- 
spoonful  of  the  gall,  to  a  pailful  of  suds  is  enough.  Put  what 
you  do  not  use  into  a  bottle,  with  a  large  table-spoonful  of  salt, 
and  cork  it  tight.  It  is  very  useful  in  removing  grease  from 
woollens,  and  cleaning  the  collars  of  coats. 

To  wash  Mourning  Calicoes,  Muslins,  and  Lawns. 

Wash  them  in  perfectly  clean  water  ;  and  if  the  color  comes 
out,  soak  them  until  the  water  is  clear,  even  if  it  should  require 
two  or  three  days,  changing  the  water  twice  a  day.  A  black 
calico  that  parts  with  much  of  the  dye  in  washing,  will  have 
rusty  streaks  in  it,  and  look  like  an  old  thing,  if  it  is  dried  with- 
out being  soaked.  But  in  the  way  directed,  a  dress  of  good 
quality  can  be  done  up  many  times  without  losing  its  beauty,  as 
experience  amply  proves.  Such  dresses  should  not  be  sprinkled 
over  night,  before  being  ironed. 

To  Wash,  Starch,  and  Iron  Muslins,  Laces,  etc. 

Soiled  muslins  should  be  looked  over  and  mended  before 
being  washed.  Embroidered  articles  should  be  basted  in  exact 
shape  upon  a  piece  of  flannel  or  other  soft  cloth.  The  mu>lin 
will  be  less  liable  to  be  frayed  or  torn  by  the  weight  of  the 
needlework.  Common  laces  should  be  folded  evenly  together 


/      ^ 


I 
Hrfr^£<^  4^-^ 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,   ETC.  285 

into  many  thicknesses,  and  then  basted  through  and  through 
around  the  edges,  with  a  fine  needle  and  thread.  Soak  these 
various  articles  in  warm  water  with  Castile  or  olive  soap  in  it. 
After  a  few  hours,  or  the  next  day,  squeeze  them  dry  (never 
rub  or  wring  them)  ;  put  on  more  soap,  pour  on  hot  water,  and 
let  them  stand  another  day.  Then  squeeze  them  dry,  and 
•examine  them.  If  they  are  not  white,  lay  them  loosely  into  a 
broad  dish  or  platter,  with  warm  suds  in  it,  and  set  them  in  the 
sun  a  day  or  two ;  or,  put  them  into  a  large  white  glass  bottle, 
with  a  wide  mouth,  fill  it  with  warm  suds  and  set  it  in  the  sun. 
Turn  the  muslins  over  now  and  then,  and  also  turn  the  bottle 
round,  so  as  to  give  every  side  the  benefit  of  the  sun.  This  is 
a  very  good  way  where  there  is  no  grass-plot  which  can  be  used 
for  bleaching.  There  can  be  no  better  way  of  whitening  mus- 
lins than  to  dip  the  articles  in  soap  suds,  spread  them  on  clean 
grass  and  let  them  lie  two  or  three  days  and  nights,  wetting 
them  once  or  twice  a  day  with  suds.  When  you  take  them 
from  the  grass,  rinse  them  twice  in  a  plenty  of  water,  the  last 
time  with  blueing  in  it.  Squeeze  them  dry  as  possible,  then  dip 
all  in  fine  starch,  except  those  articles  which  should  be  very 
stiff,  and  they  should  be  dried  before  being  starched.  Sort  them, 
dip  those  which  need  most  stiffness  first,  then  add  hot  water 
enough  to  make  the  starch  thinner  for  the  next,  and  lastly  still 
more,  for  dipping  those  which  need  very  little  stiffness.  Hang 
them  all  out  of  doors  to  dry,  unless  the  weather  is  cold  enough 
to  freeze.  When  dry,  sprinkle  them  very  wet,  or  squeeze  them 
in  cold  water,  pull  them  out  a  little,  and  lay  them  two  or  three 
double  in  a  sheet  —  a  linen  one  if  they  are  to  be  ironed  in  an 
hour  or  two ;  a  cotton  one  if  they  are  not  to  be  done  till  the 
next  day  —  this,  because  they  keep  damp  much  longer  in  cot- 
ton than  in  linen.  To  wash  elegant,  expensive  laces,  sew  a- 
piece  of  white  flannel  closely  around  a  common  junk  bottle,  and 
wind  the  lace  round  and  round  perfectly  smooth,  and  with  a 
fine  needle  and  thread,  baste  it  enough  to  keep  it  in  place.  If 
the  lace  is  pointed,  pass  the  needle  and  thread  through  each 
point ;  put  the  bottle  into  a  jar  or  deep  pitcher  filled  with  warm 


286  THE  YOUXG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

suds.  Change  the  water  once  a  clay  for  two  or  three  days  ; 
then  put  the  bottle  into  the  boiler  with  the  finest  white  clothes 
on  washing  day ;  as  soon  as  it  is  taken  from  the  boiler,  and 
cooled  a  little,  rinse  it  again  and  again  in  a  plenty  of  cold  water, 
then  wrap  a  soft,  dry  towel  around  it  to  press  out  the  water,  and 
set  it  in  the  sun.  When  the  lace  has  become  entirely  dry,  take 
out  all  the  threads,  unwind  it,  and  wear  it  without  starching. 

Our  grandmothers  would  have  thought  an  elegant  lace 
.nearly  spoilt  by  being  washed  in  any  other  way  than  this,  and  a 
very  nice  way  it  is.  Having  once  tried  it,  you  will  prefer  to 
wash  your  laces  yourself,  rather  than  pay  a  French  laundress 
for  doing  them  not  half  as  well. 

When  you  iron  muslins,  pull  them  gently  into  shape,  fold  and 
lay  them  on  a  plate,  and  cover  them  with  a  bowl,  to  keep  the 
edges  from  getting  too  dry.  Have  clean  irons,  and  rub  each 
one  before  using  it  with  a  bit  of  wax  or  spermaceti  tied  up  in  a 
piece  of  cotton,  and  wipe  it  on  a  clean  rag.  This  is  to  prevent 
the  starch  from  sticking  to  the  iron.  Lay  the  muslin  upon  the 
ironing  board,  the  wrong  side  up,  and  always  move  the  iron  in 
the  direction  of  the  threads.  The  article  will  be  out  of  shape, 
and  look  badly,  if  ironed  diagonally.  Bobbinet  laces,  if  ironed 
at  all,  should  be  ironed  diagonally,  as  in  this  way  only  can  the 
mesh  retain  its  shape.  Dip  them  in  stiff  starch,  and  after  dry- 
ing them,  dip  them  again,  then  pin  them  out  upon  a  bed.  They 
will  dry  soon,  and  will  need  only  to  be  folded  even,  and  a  warm 
iron  set  upon  them  to  press  the  folds  flat.  Whether  pressed  or 
not, they  will  look  like  new  bobbinet,  and  this  is  a  very  convenient 
way  when  a  lady  is  so  situated  that  she  cannot  iron  her  own 
kerchiefs,  or  get  them  done  to  her  liking  by  others. 

To  iron  lace  or  edging,  carefully  pull  into  shape  the  points  or 
scollops,  and  pearling ;  lay  it  the  wrong  side  up  with  the  wrought 
edge  from  you,  pass  the  iron  along  the  edge  nearest  you,  and 
then,  beginning  at  the  right  hand  end,  move  it  out  from  you. 
Do  this  the  whole  length,  or  a  yard  at  a  time,  then  adjust  every 
part  even,  and  pass  the  iron  over  it  again  and  again  until  it  is 
dry.  Lay  every  piece,  as  you  finish  it,  upon  a  waiter  or  dish, 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,   ETC.  287 

so  that  you  will  not  have  occasion  to  handle  it  again  till  you  lay 
it  in  its  place. 

Needlework  should  be  ironed  upon  clean  flannel,  and  be  long 
enough  under  the  iron  to  dry  it,  as  it  will  look  ill  if  laid  away 
damp.  Iron  it  on  the  wrong  side. 

Wrought  collars,  so  much  worn  as  to  be  easily  torn  by  being 
washed,  if  they  are  not  badly  soiled,  may  be  squeezed  out  of 
cold  water,  rolled  in  a  dry  cloth  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then 
ironed.  The  same  may  be  done  with  plain  muslins  that  are 
only  tumbled.  Sometimes  it  is  convenient  to  be  able  to  produce 
a  clean  collar  in  a  few  minutes. 

It  is  convenient  to  have  a  board  expressly  for  ironing  caps, 
collars,  cuffs,  laces,  and  other  small  articles.  It  should  be  about 
two  feet  long,  a  foot  and  a  half  wide,  covered  on  one  side  with 
four  or  five  thicknesses  of  cotton  cloth  sewed  on  tight  and  per- 
fectly smooth,  and  covered  with  white  flannel. 

To  make  fine  Starch. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  quality  of  starch.  It  is  but 
labor  lost  to  make  use  of  that  which  is  not  good.  There  is  so 
much  difference  in  the  quantity  of  gluten  in  this  article,  that  no 
precise  measure  can  be  given.  Those  who  are  least  expe- 
rienced will  soon  learn  the  proportion  needed  for  any  given 
number  of  articles. 

A  small  sauce-pan  or  porringer  should  be  kept  for  boiling 
starch,  and  used  for  nothing  else.  Boil  the  water  in  the  por- 
ringer, wet  the  starch  smooth  in  a  little  cold  water,  and  pour  it 
in  slowly,  stirring  steadily  till  it  has  become  of  equal  thickness. 
Leave  it  to  boil  moderately  eight  or  ten  minutes.  If  starch  is 
pure,  and  well  made,  it  need  not  be  strained.  The  leg  of  a  fine 
cotton  stocking  makes  a  very  good  strainer. 

To  make  Flour  Starch. 

Wet  white  flour  smooth  in  cold  water,  and  pour  it  into  boil- 
ing water,  just  like  the  fine  starch.  Some  people  do  not  boil  it ; 
others  think  dresses  retain  the  stiffness  longer  if  it  is  boiled.  It 


288  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

should  be  so  made  as  to  have  no  lumps  in  it,  and  if  it  is  not,  it 
should  be  strained  through  a  fine  colander.  Allow  a  table- 
spoonful  of  flour,  and  nearly  three  pints  of  \vater  for  a  dress.  If 
there  are  several  dresses  and  skirts  to  be  dipped,  divide  the 
starch  into  two  or  three  parcels,  because  the  first  article  put  into 
it  will  take  too  large  a  proportion  of  the  stiffness,  and  leave 
what  remains  too  thin  for  the  rest.  Reserve  those  which  need 
least  stiffness  to  be  starched  last. 

To  Make  and  Use  Cold  Starch. 

Put  a  tablespoonful  of  best  fine  starch  to  a  pint  of  cold 
water.  Stir  till  dissolved  ;  stir  thoroughly  also  before  dipping 
each  article,  because  the  starch  settles  rapidly.  Squeeze  the 
articles,  and  lay  them  in  dry  cloths.  They  may  be  ironed  in 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  but  should  not  be  allowed  to  remain  in 
the  cloths  longer,  as  they  will  not  iron  well.  Lay  a  thin  cloth 
upon  them  when  you  pass  the  iron  over  the  first  time.  The 
irons  should  be  quite  hot.  Use  more  starch  if  you  want  it 
very  stiff,  and  not  so  much  if  you  wish  it  otherwise.  This 
mode  of  starching  is  preferred  by  many  persons  to  the  use  of 
boiled  starch.  It  is  certainly  very  convenient  j  and  linen 
looks  nicely  starched  thus. 

To  wash.  Thibet  Cloths,  Bombazines,  Mouslin  de  Laines,  and 

Plaids. 

If  you  wish  to  make  over  a  dress  before  it  is  badly  worn  or 
soiled,  rip  it,  and  sponge  it  in  warm  water  with  Castile  soap  in 
it.  Sponge  a  piece  at  a  time,  on  the  side  which  is  to  be  out, 
and  iron  it  on  the  other  side,  until  perfectly  dry.  The  irons 
should  be  quite  hot  but  not  so  as  to  change  the  color.  If  it  is 
hung  upon  the  bars  or  laid  away,  damp,  it  will  curl  and  look 
old. 

Thibet  cloths  of  good  q-uality  last  so  long  that  they  are  Avorth 
being  done  up  twice.  After  doing  good  service,  till  parts  of 
the  waist  and  sleeves  are  worn  out,  the  dress  should  be  ripped 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,    ETC.  289 

and  washed  (sponging  will  not  answer),  and  if  it  is  of  a  color 
that  fades  at  all,  wash  with  it  any  new  pieces  that  you  may  have 
to  use  in  making  it  over.  Wash  it  just  as  you  would  a  nice 
flannel,  with  Castile  or  olive  soap,  and  then  rinse  it  in  two  clear 
warm  waters.  Remember  not  to  wring  it  either  time,  as  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  iron  out  the  wrinkles.  Squeeze  out  the 
suds  a  little  before  you  rinse  it.  Let  it  drip  as  it  hangs  upon 
the  clothes  line,  for  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour  ;  and  before 
the  upper  edge  begins  to  dry,  and  while  the  lower  edge  is  still 
wet, -turn  the  lower  edge  up  over  the  line,  and  the  dry  edge 
down,  and  let  it  hang  a  few  minutes,  then  fold  each  piece,  and 
lay  them  in  a  pile  with  a  damp  cloth  round  them.  Have  a 
steady  good  fire,  and  several  irons,  and  press  them  upon  the 
wrong  side  until  dry. 

Bombazines  if  not  badly  soiled,  can  be  sponged,  in  the  same 
way  as  the  Thibet  cloths.  If  they  are  to  be  made  up  the  .same 
side  out  as  before,  sponge  that  side,  and  iron  on  the  other.  If 
they  need  to  be  washed,  it  is  usually  best  that  they  should  be 
made  up  the  inside  out,  and  of  course  should  be  ironed  on  what 
has  been  the  right  side.  Wash  them  just  like  Thibet  cloth. 
The  black  bombazines,  and  other  similar  fabrics  worn  in  mourn- 
ing, all  wash  well,  and  can  be  done  repeatedly,  and  each  time 
look  ?o  well  as  to  reward  the  trouble. 

Wash  de  laines  and  plaids  in  the  same  way.  It  is  safe  to  use 
the  genuine  olive  soap  for  those  of  the  most  beautiful  colors ; 
they  will  remain  unchanged. 

To  wash  Shawls. 

Almost  all  kinds  of  shawls  bear  washing ;  and  they  should  be 
done  as  the  Thibet  cloths  and  de  laines,  except  that  when  there 
is  much  white  in  them,  or  they  are  composed  chiefly  of  delicate 
colors,  there  should  be  a  very  little  blueing  in  the  last  rinsing 
water,  and  after  being  fifteen  minutes  on  the  clothes  line,  they 
should  be  laid  perfectly  smooth  into  a  sheet,  which  should  then 
be  folded  up  (not  rolled,  because  that  will  make  wrinkles),  and 
us  soon  as  the  water  is  absorbed,  so  that  the  shawl  remains  only 


290  HIE  YOUNG  HOUSEKEEPER'S  FRIEND. 

rery  damp,  iron  it  on  the  wrong  side,  until  it  is  dry,  then  fold 
it,  making  the  creases  as  when  it  was  new. 

To  wash  Colored,  Plaid,  Black,  and  Raw  Silks  and  Ribbons. 

For  a  single  dress,  pare  four  or  five  good-sized  potatoes,  slice 
them  thin  and  lay  them  in  a  quart  of  cold  water  for  a  few 
hours ;  then,  if  the  silk  is  much  soiled,  sponge  both  sides  freely, 
rubbing  the  soiled  places  with  most  care.  Sponge  one  piece  at 
a  time,  and  iron  it  dry  upon  the  side  that  is  to  be  the  inside, 
moving  the  iron  up  and  down,  or  straight  across  —  never  diag- 
^onally.  Have  the  irons  quite  hot,  yet  not  so  as  to  scorch,  or 
change  the  color.  If  they  are  too  cool,  they  will  draw  up  or 
crimp  the  silk  in  very  minute  gathers,  and  it  will  be  nearly 
impossible  to  make  such  places  smooth  again.  The  effect  of  the 
starch  from  the  potatoes  is  to  cleanse  the  silk,  and  also  give  it  a 
little  stiffness,  and  even  plaid  silks  of  the  most  delicate  colors 
are  made  to  look  new  in  this  way.  If  a  silk  is  not  much  soiled, 
sponge  it  only  on  what  is  to  be  the  outside,  and  iron  it  on  the 
other.  A  good  black  silk  may  be  made  to  look  "  amaist  as 
weel  's  the  new,"  again  and  again  by  this  process,  and  those  who 
have  never  tried  it,  would  be  surprised  at  the  renovating  effect. 

Good  ribbons,  black,  white,  or  colored,  are  made  fresh  and 
handsome  in  precisely  the  same  way.  To  iron  them,  set  the 
iron  across  one  end,  on  the  wrong  side,  and  while  you  press  it 
hard,  draw  the  whole  length  of  the  ribbon  under  it  with  the 
other  hand. 

Raw  silks  should  be  washed  in  potato  water,  as  directed  for 
calicoes  that  are  liable  to  fade  ;  and  after  being  rinsed  once,  and 
hung  without  wringing  upon  the  line,  long  enough  for  the  water 
to  drip  off,  they  should  be  rolled  for  fifteen  minutes  in  a  sheet, 
and  then  ironed  dry,  on  the  wrong  side. 

To  renovate  black  Veils  and  Lace. 

Make  a  very  weak  solution  of  gum  arabic,  so  that  it  will 
barely  be  distinguishable  from  pure  water ;  lay  the  veil  or  lace 
upon  an  ironing,  or  other  smooth  board,  and  apply  the  gum- 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,   ETC.  291. 

water  with  a  sponge.  See  that  the  article  to  be  sponged  li<\-» 
straight  and  even ;  and  when  you  have  wet  it  perfectly  smooth, 
let  it  remain  untouched  till  the  next  day.  This  is  the  way  that 
ladies  who  embroider  their  own  veils  give  them  their  finish.  If 
the  gum  water  is  too  thick,  there  will  be  danger  of  tearing  the 
lace  in  taking  it  off. 

To  Renovate  Velvet  or  Velvet  Ribbons. 

Wipe  the  dust  from  the  velvet  with  a  dry  sponge.  Wring 
a  clean  cloth  or  towel  in  cold  water,  and  pin  tightly  around  a 
hot  iron ;  then  pass  the  velvet  across  the  face  of  the  iron,  the 
wrong  side  of  it  next  to  the  iron. 

Another  very  good  way  is  to  hold  the  velvet  in  the  steam  of 
boiling  water,  and  then  pass  it  over  the  edge  of  an  iron. 

To  wash  English  Blankets. 

If  care  is  taken  to  keep  them  clean,  they  will  seldom  need  to 
be  washed.  New  ones  ought  not  to  need  washing  for  several 
years.  Those  which  are  not  in  constant  use,  should  be  kept 
where  they  will  not  be  exposed  to  moths  or  dust,  in  a  closet, 
pinned  close  in  a  cloth,  or  under  a  mattress.  A  chamber-maid 
or  a  domestic  who  does  the  general  house-work,  should  keep  a 
large  apron  to  be  worn  only  while  she  makes  beds.  Blankets, 
counterpanes,  and  even  bed-ticks  sometimes  have  to  be  washed 
in  consequence  of  negligence  on  this  point. 

If  there  are  soiled  spots  on  a  blanket,  baste  a  thread  around 
them,  or  else  wash  those  places  before  it  is  put  into  the  tub. 
Then  put  a  handful  of  soft  soap  into  the  water,  and  begin  to  rub 
at  one  end  of  the  blanket,  using  more  soap,  and  slipping  it  along 
as  fast  as  it  is  washed,  from  one  end  to  the  other ;  and  as  it  is 
not  possible  to  rub  ,the  whole  width  of  £  large  blanket  at  once, 
—  after  it  is  washed  along  one  side,  taking  it  up  to  the  middle, 
wash  along  the  other  side,  just  as  in  washing  sheets.  It  takes 
two  persons  to  wring  a  blanket  or  counterpane  well.  Have 
ready  a  large  tub  of  as  hot  water  as  you  can  bear  your  hands 
in, ui id  put  them  as  soon  as  they  are  washed  into  it;  rinse  them 


292  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

in  this,  and  still  in  another  warm  water ;  and  after  wringing 
them  dry  as  possible,  have  the  person  who  assists  you  take  one 
end,  and  taking  the  other  yourself,  open  and  snap  them  several 
times.  This  will  take  out  the  wrinkles,  so  that  if  the  day  is  fair 
with  a  good  breeze,  the  blankets  will  look  almost  as  smooth  as 
if  they  were  pressed.  If  there  are  several  to  be  washed,  cover 
the  rinsing  tubs,  so  as  to  keep  the  water  warm,  and  have  some 
hot  water  ready  to  add,  when  that  in  the  tubs  becomes  cool. 

To  wash  white  Counterpanes  and  Calico  Quilts. 

"Wash  them  in  the  same  way  as  blankets  only  with  hard  soap, 
and  rinse  them  in  cold  water.  If  convenient,  it  is  the  best  way 
to  take  them  to  a  pump  ;  and  pump  upon  them  and  pour  off  the 
water  again  and  again,  till  it  is  clear ;  then  wring  them  and 
hang  them  on  the  line.  In  this  way  one  wringing  is  saved, 
which  is  well,  for  it  is  some  of  the  hardest  work  that  is  done. 
The  heaviest  kind  of  counterpanes,  especially  if  they  are  large, 
should  be  rinsed  at  a  pump,  and  taken  in  the  tub  to  the  clothes 
line,  and  put  upon  it  without  wringing. 

To  wash  the  Tick  of  a  Feather-bed,  or  Pillow. 

Have  it  washed  very  thoroughly  and  rinsed  in  a  plenty  of 
water.  When  it  is  entirely  dry,  melt  together  bar  soap  and 
beeswax  in  the  proportion  of  two  parts  soap,  and  one  of  wax. 
]\Iix  it  well,  and  then,  having  laid  the  tick,  inside  out,  upon  a 
large  table  or  ironing  board,  spread  the  soap  and  wax  on  it  with 
a  knife,  as  thinly  as  possible.  Even  a  thick  tiek,  when  it  is 
washed,  does  not  hold  the  feathers  as  securely  as  before,  and  the 
u,e  of  this  mixture  is  to  remedy  the  defect. 

The  odor  of  the  soap  soon  passes  away. 

To  wash  Worsted  Table-covers. 

"Wash  them  in  quite  warm  water  with  olive  soap.  If  this  is 
not  to  be  had,  soft  soap,  if  it  is  of  the  best  kind,  is  better  than 
common  bar  soap.  This  last,  always  has  rosin  in  it,  and  some- 
times there  is  so  much  as  to  make  woollens  washed  with  it  feel 


,    ^-^  ^ 


^/^  e,w£,  ^2t^^ 


- 


.^xrf    . 


DIRECTIONS   FOR   WASHING,   ETC.  293 

gummy  ;  and  no  pains-taking  will  entirely  remove  the  bad  effect 
If  there  are  grease  spots,  they  should  be  first  taken  out  with 
chloric  ether  or  spirits  of  turpentine.  Make  a  suds,  wash  the  cloth 
very  thoroughly  in  it,  and  then  in  another ;  then  rinse  it  twice  in 
warm  water.  Do  not  wring  it  when  you  put  it  from  one  water 
into  another,  but  drain  it,  and  very  gently  press  the  water  out. 
Hang  it  a  short  time  upon  the  line,  until  the  water  has  almost 
ceased  dripping  from  the  lower  edge  ;  then  reverse  it,  putting 
the  lower  edge  up  on  the  line.  Have  the  irons  hot,  and  the 
ironing-board  ready,  and  make  up  your  mind  to  iron  patiently  a 
long  time.  A  medium-sized  broadcloth  table  cover,  such  as 
used  to  be  in  fashion,  required  to  be  ironed  two  hours  and  a 
half.  A  less  time  is  necessary  for  the  thinner  fabrics ;  but 
whatever  the  texture  is,  if  it  has  wool  in  it,  it  must  be  pressed 
until  it  is  dry,  else  it  will  not  look  well.  Faded  table-covers, 
having  one  color  only,  mingled  with  white,  may  be  dyed  with 
advantage.  I  have  seen  one  that  was  originally  green  and 
white,  that  after  being  in  constant  use  many  years,  was  sent  to 
a  dye-house,  and  came  back  transformed  into  a  maroon  ami 
white  cloth,  and  was  as  good  as  when  it  was  new. 

To  wash  Carpets. 

According  to  the  experience  of  many  persons,  the  Kidder- 
minster carpets,  and  others  of  like  fabric,  are  as  well  washed  at 
a  fulling-mill  as  at  a  dye-house,  or  by  a  professed  carpet- 
cleanser.  They  are  washed  whole,  and  if  the  colors  are  good, 
they  are  returned  with  a  good  degree  of  their  original  beauty ; 
and  I  have  never  known  one  to  be  torn  or  injured  in  any  way. 
The  charge  for  washing  a  large  carpet,  does  not  exceed  a  dollar 
and  a  quarter,  and  for  medium-sized  and  small  ones,  proportion- 
ately less.  After  a  carpet  has  been  in  hard  service,  if  it  is 
worth  being  made  over,  or  thoroughly  repaired,  it  is  also 
worth  being  washed  ;  and  a  person  who  has  spent  two  or  three 
days  in  mending  an  old,  unwashed  carpet,  will  appreciate  the 
assertion. 

The  directions  for  removing  oil  and  grease  from  carpets  not 


294  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPERS    FRIEND. 

having  been  inserted  in  the  appropriate  place,  tliey  are  given 
here. 

When  oil  is  spilled  on  a  carpet,  put  on  a  plenty  of  white  flour, 
and  do  it  as  quickly  as  possible,  in  order  to  prevent  it  from 
spreading.  If  the  oil  is  near  a  seam,  but  does  riot  reach  it,  rip 
the  seam  in  order  to  stop  it.  Put  flour  on  the  floor  under  the 
oil  spot.  The  next  day  take  up  all  the  flour  from  the  car- 
pet and  floor,  with  a  dust-pan  and  a  very  stiff  clothes  broom, 
and  put  on  fresh  flour,  and  a  plenty  of  it.  It  will  not  be  neces- 
sary to  do  it  a  third  time.  To  take  out  grease  spots,  rub  them 
•with  a  bit  of  white  flannel,  dipped  in  new  spirits  of  turpentine  ; 
and  if  they  again  become  visible,  rub  the  spots  again,  on  both 
sides  of  the  carpet,  when  it  is  taken  up  and  shaken.  If  there 
are  oil  or  grease  spots  on  the  floor,  they  should  be  covered  with 
thick  paper  before  the  carpet  is  again  laid  down.  Scouring 
will  not  entirely  remove  them. 

To  Wliiten  or  Bleach. 

The  best  time  in  the  year  is  the  month  of  May.  The  dew  at 
that  period  has  a  peculiar  efficacy  for  bleaching.  In  the  country, 
where  clean  grass  plots  are  accessible,  it  is  a  good  way  to  take 
all  the  white  clothes  of  the  week's  wash,  from  the  first  rinsing 
water,  or  from  the  boiling  suds,  and  lay  them  on  the  grass. 
After  two  or  three  nights  take  them  up  before  they  are  dry  in 
the  morning,  rinse  them  well,  and  put  them  on  the  line.  Their 
improved  appearance  will  pay  for  the  trouble.  In  August, 
clothes  should  never  be  more  than  one  day  and  night  upon  the 
grass,  lest  they  become  mildewed.  In  the  winter,  they  will 
whiten  fast,  in  sunny  weather,  upon  clean  snow ;  and  leaving 
them  on  the  line  in  the  frost  over  night,  after  being  washed, 
makes  them  white. 


HIKTS    IN   REGARD    TO    HEALTH. 


ONE  of  the  first  things  to  be  considered  in  the  choice  of  a 
residence  is  the  healthfullness  of  the  position.  In  the  coun- 
try, the  vicinity  of  low  grounds  or  the  banks  of  a  sluggish 
river  are  to  be  avoided.  A  house  having  a  wet  cellar 
is  never  a  safe  residence  for  a  family.  Neuralgia,  fevers, 
and  consumption  are  produced  by  living  in  a  damp  house. 
A  house  having  a  southern  exposure  is  much  to  be  preferred 
to  one  where  the  windows  of  the  rooms  most  occupied  are 
toward  the  north.  The  light  of  the  sun  is  essential  to  health ; 
and,  in  selecting  a  house  in  the  city,  this  is  of  even  greater 
importance  than  in  the  country. 

REGULARITY    OF  MEALS 

is  important  to  health.  The  meals  of  a  family  should  be 
punctual,  at  regular  hours.  Three  meals  are  sufficient.  Din- 
ner should  be  the  most  substantial ;  and  the  country  custom 
of  having  it  about  one  o'clock  is  good.  A  large  half-hour 
should  be  allowed  for  each  meal ;  more  time  better  than  less. 
There  are  few  things  that  so  clog  the  brain  as  half-masticated 
food.  Luncheons  should  not  be  eaten,  except  in  families 
whose  dinner-hour  is  at  five  or  six  o'clock.  In  that  case  the 
lunch  should  be  taken  at  noon.  A  reference  to  the  most  prac- 
tical medical  writers  will  convince  any  one,  willing  to  learn, 
that  the  habit  of  taking  a  lunch  tends  to  produce  dyspepsia. 

Time  to  rest  should  be  taken,  after  fatigue,  before  eating. 
For  most  grown  persons,  the  habit  of  leaving  off  before  the 
appetite  is  fully  satisfied  is  healthful.  The  feeling  of  hun- 

295 


29G  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

gor  will  quickly  pass  away,  and  the  dulness  and  sense  of  op- 
pression occasioned  by  eating  1<><>  freely  will  he  avoided. 

A  person  subject  to  dyspepsia  .should  avoid  vegetables  be- 
cause they  require  much  time  to  digest,  and  should  take  food 
which  requires  least  time  and  strength  for  the  process,  — rare 
beef  or  mutton,  good  bread,  and  fruits. 

It  is  a  mistake  for  hard  students  to  live  on  a  very  light  diet. 
A  skilful  physician  says,  "When  the  brain  is  tasked,  give  the 
stomach  plenty  to  do;"  else  the  tendency  of  the  blood  will 
be  too  much  to  the  head. 

The  character  of  food  should  vary  with  ihe  season  of  the 
year.  More  meat  and  other  substantial  food  is  requisite  in 
winter  than  in  spring  and  summer. 

A  more  spare  diet  is  healthful  in  the  spring ;  fresh  rggs, 
fish,  spinach,  greens,  and  salad,  and,  in  May  and  June,  the 
small  fruits.  Most  of  the  fruits  of  every  season,  used  moder- 
ately, are  good,  and  the  use  of  them  promotes  health. 

BATHING. 

Cleanliness  is  not  the  only  thing  gained  by  a  bath.  A 
good  bath  brings  the  blood  to  the  surface,  and  makes  the  skin 
vigorous  and  healthy.  Daily  ablutions  of  the  entire  body, 
says  an  approved  writer,  should  be  as  much  a  part  of  the 
daily  work  as  eating.  A  cold  bath  fortifies  the  body  against 
taking  cold;  but  it  is  most  healthful  taken  in  the  morning, 
immediately  ou  rising,  before  the  body  has  had  time  to  be- 
como  chilled.  It  should  be  followed  by  a  glow  of  warmth. 
This  is  promoted  by  the  effort  to  rub  the  person  until  per- 
fectly dry.  If  fulness  of  the  head  succeed  a  cold  bath,  it 
should  be  followed  the  next  day  by  a  tepid  or  a  warm  bath. 
Clean  clothes  should  be  substituted  for  such  as  are  saturated 
with  perspiration.  Under  clothing  worn  in  the  day  should 
not  be  worn  through  the  night. 

In  reference  to  sea-bathing,  there  is  no  danger  when  the 
body  is  hot,  but  when  it  is  cooling  after  being  heated. 


SLEEPING-ROOMS.  —  VENTILATION,   ETC.  297 

The  Shower,  Douche,  Drop,  and  Sitz  bath,  and  the  wet-sheet 
or  Pack,  are  all  invaluable  at  the  proper  time,  and  under  ap- 
propriate circumstances. 

SLEEPING-ROOMS. 

Few  persons  will  take  cold,  even  in  winter,  from  sleeping 
with  a  window  open  a  few  inches,  provided  there  is  enough 
bed-clothing,  and  the  bed  so  placed  that  a  current  of  air  will 
not  blow  on  the  sleeper.  The  air  of  a  closed  room,  re-breathed 
through  the  night  by  two  persons,  becomes  poisonous.  No 
wonder  if  they  rise  in  the  morning  languid,  feverish,  and 
without  appetite  for  breakfast.  Here  is  one  great  cause  of 
the  mortality  in  the  crowded  parts  of  our  cities. 

VENTILATION 

should  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  this  subject.  The 
old-fashioned  fire-place  and  open  chimney  were  more  favorable 
to  health  than  our  modern  stoves,  grates,  and  furnaces.  A 
family-sitting  room,  or  nursery,  warmed  by  an  air-tight  stove, 
should  be  well  aired  by  opening  the  windows  several  times  a 
day,  even  in  very  cold  weather.  Double  windows  are  com- 
fortable in  winter,  but  they  should  be  so  constructed  as  to 
allow  a  frequent  change  of  air  in  the  room.  Every  part  of  a 
house  warmed  by  a  furnace  should  be  thoroughly  aired  every 
day. 

CARE  OF  THE  SICK. 

It  would  be  well,  if  in  every  house  there  were  a  large  apart- 
ment which  could  be  appropriated  in  case  of  sickness.  The 
bed  of  an  invalid  should  not  stand  in  a  remote  corner  of  the 
room,  but  in  a  position  convenient  of  access,  and  where  a  pro- 
per degree  of  light  can  be  admitted.  In  times  long  past,  it 
was  customary  to  exclude  the  light  as  much  as  possible  from 
a  sick-room  whatever  might  be  the  disease  of  the  patient. 


298  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 

Thus  many  a  sufferer  was  deprived  of  one  of  the  most  genial 
and  health-giving  of  God's  many  gifts.  A  sick-room  should 
be  made  cheerful  as-  possible ;  and,  in  order  to  this,  it 
should  not  be  deeply  shaded.  Light  is  almost  as  necessary 
to  health  as  pure  air.  One  of  the  first  duties  of  a  nurse  is  to 
secure  pure  air  for  her  patient.  If  she  can  do  it  in  no  other 
way,  she  should  cover  his  head,  and  open  the  windows  and 
doors  for  a  few  minutes  several  times  a  day,  so  as  to  bring  a 
current  of  air  through  the  room. 

It  seems  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  a  nurse  should  be 
scrupulously  neat  in  her  person,  and  that  she  should  keep 
clean  every  article  used  in  the  sick-chamber,  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  observe  order  in  the  arrangement  of  things  in  the 
room.  In  severe  cases  of  fever,  clean  bed-linen  should  be  fur- 
nished every  day ;  and  in  all  cases  of  illness,  the  sheets,  blan- 
kets, and  mattresses  should  be  aired  every  morning  in  another 
room,  before  open  windows,  the  patient  meantime  lying  upon 
a  cot  or  couch.  In  sickness,  the  room  should  be  kept  quiet, 
and  needless  talking  avoided.  A  very  little  conversation  be- 
tween friends  or  attendants  at  a  late  hour  in  the  evening  may 
give  a  nervous  invalid  a  sleepless  night.  The  senses  of  a. 
little  child  are  more  delicate  than  those  of  adults ;  and  many, 
a  sick  baby  suffers  from  the  thoughtless  sociability  of  those 
about  him,  even  when  too  young  to  know  how  it  is  that  he  is 
annoyed. 

The  discomfort  of  a  fever-patient  who  is  too  feeble  to  take 
a  bath  is  much  relieved  by  his  being  sponged  with  tepid 
water,  care  being  taken,  in  passing  from  one  part  of  the  body 
to  another,  not  to  expose  him  to  a  current  of  air.  The  face 
and  hands  should  be  sponged  with  cold  water  many  times  a 
day.  The  craving  for  water  to  drink  should  be  gratified. 

In  cases  of  local  inflammation,  soft  cloths,  folded  so  as  to 
make  several  thicknesses,  should  be  wrung  in  ice-water  and 
appliod  :  then  changed  often,  as  they  will  only  aggravate  the 
heut  if  they  remain  after  they  become  warm.  Not  only  is 


^  ft 


&H?I. 


^Ct^C 


/^W  —  t?—  ^Zc^^«^«^C— 

>'~V-^j 


•^-^ 

/ 


^*-> 


CARE   OF    CHILDREN.  299 

this  beneficial  in  case  of  brain-fever,  but  for  a  severe  sick- 
headache.  To  produce  perspiration,  in  order  to  relieve  a  sore 
throat  or  oppression  of  the  lungs,  apply  a  cloth  wrung  in  ice- 
water,  and  put  closely  over  it  a  dry  flannel.  Friction  should 
be  used  when  the  perspiration  thus  produced  has  subsided,  else 
the  secretions  thrown  out  upon  the  skin  will  be  again  absorbed 
into  the  system.  In  cases  of  erysipelas,  cloths  should  be 
wrung  as  directed  above  in  cold  water  without  ice,  and  changed 
almost  as  fast  as  they  can  be  wrung  out.  The  heat  in  that 
disease  is  so  fiery,  that  the  water  in  the  wash-bowl  needs  to 
be  changed  very  often.  Uncooked  cranberries  thoroughly 
bruised  or  ripe  tomatoes  are  each  a  good  application  for  the 
relief  of  erysipelas. 

CARE    OF    CHILDREN. 

As  an  infant  during  its  first  month  is  usually  under  the  care 
of  a  physician  and  nurse,  particular  directions  here  would  be 
inappropriate;  but  perhaps  a  young  mother,  left  for  the  first 
time,  by  the  departure  of  her  nurse,  with  the  sole  charge  of 
her  infant,  may  derive  some  assistance  from  the  following 
suggestions.  The  health  of  a  child,  as  well  as  the  comfort  of 
a  mother,  are  promoted  by  systematic  arrangement  in  the 
care  of  him.  The  stomach  of  a  very  young  infant  will  not 
contain  food  enough  to  suffice  for  several  hours.  Nature  re- 
quires that  it  should  be  nursed  as  often  as  once  every  hour 
and  a  half;  a  baby  of  six  weeks  or  two  months,  once  in  two 
hours,  and  a  child  six  months  old  needs  its  food  but  once  in 
four  hours.  There  is  no  nourishment  so  good  for  a  baby  as 
that  which  Nature  supplies  from  the  breast  of  the  mother. 
In  case  he  is  from  any  cause  deprived  of  this,  various  sub- 
stitutes are  recommended  by  nurses.  There  are  directions  in 
this  book  (pp.  251,  2)  for  the  preparation  of  food  for  infants, 
which  have  long  had  the  sanction  of  skilful  physicians,  and 
which  have  been  proved  reliable  by  the  fact  that  many  families 
of  little  ones  have  been  successfully  reared  according  to  them. 


300  THE    YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 

Respecting  good  milk  for  babies,  see  page  243. 

With  a  little  extra  attention  on  the  part  of  the  mother, 
much  weariness  and  loss  of  time  may  be  saved,  by  accustom- 
ing an  infant  to  go  to  sleep  at  regular  hours.  A  healthy 
baby,  under  three  months,  should  sleep  twice  in  the  day-time. 
An  appropriate  hour  for  the  morning  nap  is  ten  o'clock,  and 
for  the  afternoon  three.  He  should  not  be  rocked  to  sleep  in 
lap,  or  in  the  cradle,  but  be  laid  in  his  crib,  the  light  in  the 
room  not  too  strong.  His  clothing  should  be  in  every  partic- 
ular comfortable,  and  then  if  he  cries  his  mother  should  not 
be  disturbed,  nor  go  to 'him  to  see  if  any  thing  is  the  matter. 
If  he  is  well,  it  will  not  hurt  him  to  cry  even  an  hour  (which 
lie  probably  will  not  do)  ;  and  after  going  through  tins  gentle 
discipline,  morning,  afternoon,  and  evening,  for  one  or  two 
days,  he  will  make  no  more  trouble  about  going  to  sleep  alone, 
in  his  crib,  at  the  regular  time.  There  is  thus  a  slight  begin- 
ning of  that  exercise  of  a  mother's  control  which  will  prevent 
his  "ruling  the  house,"  and  which  will  afterwards  make  his 
submission  to  her  authority  in  other  things  more  easy. 

It  is  the  advice  of  an  experienced  matron,  who  has  reared 
a  large  family  of  children,  that  the  mother  should  not  dele- 
gate the  care  of  weaning  her  child  to  another.  The  separa- 
tion from  her  which  would  be  necessary  would  be  a  severe 
privation  to  the  sorrowful  baby ;  for  in  addition  to  the  loss  of 
his  accustomed  food,  he  must  lose  the  solace  of  his  mother's  pres- 
ence and  loving  attentions.  The  process  of  weaning  a  baby 
calls  forth  in  a  mother  a  blended  decision  and  tenderness, 
which  adds  greatly  to  her  power  over  him,  and  makes  the  sub- 
sequent training  of  him  to  habits  of  obedience  comparatively 
easy. 

The  new-born  infant  should  of  course  be  washed  in  blood- 
warm  water;  but,  after  he  has  become  accustomed  to  the  tem- 
perature of  his  native  apartment,  he  should  be  bathed  daily 
in  tepid  water,  or  that  which  has  stood  in  the  room  over 
night.  Children  are  invigorated  by  cold  bathing,  and  should 


CARE    OF   CHILDREN.  —  CONVULSIONS.  301 

"be  made  clean,  from  head  to  foot,  once  a  day.  The  morning 
is,  generally  speaking,  the  best  time  ;  but  when  they  are  old 
enough  to  become  tired  and  soiled  with  dust  by  the  exposure 
and  frolic  of  the  day,  they  should  be  bathed  before  going  to 
bed.  A  bath  sooner  than  two  hours  after  eating  is  unsafe. 

Children  should  go  to  bed  early,  and  they  will  probably  wake 
seasonably ;  but  they  should  not  be  waked  from  sound  sleep 
and  required  to  rise.  Nature  is  the  best  guide  in  this  as  well 
as  some  other  things  which  could  be  mentioned. 

A  taste  for  simple  food  should  be  cultivated  as  the  surest 
way  of  making  children  healthy.  Good  bread  of  various 
kinds,  fresh  vegetables,  baked  and  stewed  fruits,  rice,  plenty 
of  milk,  and  good  meats  should  be  provided.  Veal  is  less  di- 
gestible and  nutritious  than  beef,  mutton,  venison,  or  poul- 
try ;  and  fresh  pork,  which  is  poison  to  some  persons,  is  not 
healthy  food  for  any  one. 

The  health  of  children  is  injured  by  eating  rich  cake  and 
pastry ;  and  much  of  the  candy  and  most  of  the  nuts,  often 
found  in  their  pockets,  are  very  indigestible.  Their  food 
should  be  plain  and  well  cooked ;  and  they  should  not  be  com- 
pelled to  eat  fat,  or  articles  to  which  they  have  a  strong  nat- 
ural repugnance.  This  is  sometimes  required,  in  obedience 
to  the  rule  that  nothing  should  be  left  on  their  plates  to  be 
wasted.  A  reasonable  quantity  should  be  given ;  and,  if  they 
ask  for  more,  they  should  be  helped  moderately.  A  healthy 
child  grows  fast,  and  needs  a  full  supply  of  nutritious  food. 

CONVULSIONS. 

Convulsions  or  spasms  in  children  originate  from  various 
causes.  Some  children  are  constitutionally  liable  to  them,  and 
such  will  be  almost  sure  to  have  them  while  getting  their 
teeth.  An  infant  not  yet  weaned  may  be  thrown  into  con- 
vulsions by  a  change  in  the  quality  of  the  mother's  milk,  pro- 
duced by  sudden  anger,  fright,  or  suffering.  Whatever  the 


302  THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPElTs   FRIEND. 

cause,  the  first  thing  to  be  done,  without  waiting  for 
the  arrival  of  the  physician,  is  to  put  the  child  into  a  warm 
bath,  five  or  ten  minutes,  until  the  paroxysm  is  broken. 
Then  wrap  him  in  warm  dry  flannels.  If  the  spasms  continue, 
bathe  the  feet  and  legs  in  water  as  warm  as  can  be  borne,  and 
at  the  same  time  pour  a  stream  of  cold  water  on  the  head  from 
the  height  of  half  a  yard. 

CRAMP    IN   THE    LIMBS. 

Wrap  them  in  towels  wrung  out  in  cold  water,  and  put  out- 
side a  thick  dry  cloth.  The  relief  is  immediate  and  entire. 

BURNS     AND     SCALDS. 

Every  mother  should  know  what  to  do  at  once  in  case  a 
child  is  scalded  or  burned.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to 
remove  the  clothes  if  the  body  is  scalded.  Better  to  cut  them 
off  than  have  much  delay.  Then  apply  a  thick  layer  of 
flour,  and,  when  it  falls  off,  lay  on  more.  The  object  is  to 
shield  the  wound  from  the  air. 

Cotton  wool  is  another  good  application.  A  thick  fold  of  it 
should  be  quickly  laid  on,  and  then  wet  with  good  sweet  oil. 
The  smarting  will  soon  subside,  and  the  cotton  must  remain 
undisturbed  until  a  new  skin  is  formed.  A  soft  bandage 
should  be  put  outside  the  cotton.  If  the  cotton  is  removed 
for  the  sake  of  putting  on  a  fresh  fold,  or  some  other  kind  of 
dressing,  there  will  be  a  scar.  If  it  is  suffered  to  remain 
as  directed,  there  will  be  no  scar. 

TO    RELIEVE   THE    STINGS    AND    BITES    OF    INSECTS. 

For  the  stings  of  bees,  hornets,  wasps,  and  the  bites  of 
poisonous  insects,  apply  ammonia  or  hartshorn,  or,  if  this 
is  not  at  hand,  garden-mould. 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


SPECIAL  attention  is  called  to  the  importance  of  reading  the 
directions  at  the  beginning  of  each  chapter  before  using  the 
receipts. 


BREAD. 

PAGE. 

Bread,  directions  respecting  ...  22 

"        heating  ovens     .    .  21 

made  without  sponge        .    .  28 

"      with  milk  and  water  .  29 

Boston  brown 31 

raised        " 31 

steamed    " 32 

New  Orleans 52 

good  family 27 

Graham       30 

Indian  loaf 32 

potato 26 

rice 30 

rye      .........  32 

third        30 

dough,  various  uses  of     .    .  33 

Btale,  to  make  fresh    ...  33 
uses  for  pieces  of     ....  232 

Biscuit,  buttermilk 34 

"       cream 34 

"           "    of  tartar 35 

"       fried 68 

"       potato 35 

"       raised 34 

"       sour  milk  .......  34 

Muffins,  raised 88 

"       sour  milk 38 

Rolls,  Parker 39 

Rusk       37 

Yeast 23 

"      dry 25 


PAGE. 

Yeast,  Maine  potato 25 

"     soft  hop 24 

CAKE. 

Cake,  directions  for  making    ...  43 

"    frying      ...  66 

"     Avon  snow 58 

"     Barnard  cup 51 

"     Berwick  sponge 53 

"     bread 50 

"     bride's  or  snow 54 

"      Bridgeport  cup 51 

"     chocolate 56 

"      commencement 49 

"     composition 52 

"     cream 60 

"     crullers 67 

"           "      another 67 

"      plainer 67 

"      cream  of  tartar      .    .  67 

"     Delaware  sponge      ....  53 

"     Ellen's  bread 50 

"      gold 54 

"     Harrison 60 

"     Howard  cup 50 

"     jelly 55 

"     loaf 49 

"       "    another      .    .    .    '.    .    .  49 

"      Lyman 53 

"     magic        59 

"     Maine  plum 48 

"     marble      ,          ...  .57 


304 


THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S   FRIEND. 


Cake,  Mount  Pleasant  cup  ....  51 

"  one  egg     ........  59 

"  «    loaf    ........  48 

"  orange  .........  56 

"  Park-Street    .........  60 

"  Portsmouth  .........  59 

"  pound  .........  60 

"  Provence  ........  51 

"  Queen's    ........  54 

"  raspberry  roll  ......  57 

"  Rochester  jelly     .....  58 

"  Sandusky     ..........  58 

"  seed    .............  62 

"  silver    .........  55 

"  snow  or  hride's     .....  54 

"  "    plainer      ......  54 

"  sponge  .........  52 

"  superior  cup     ......  51 

"  Tunbridge  cup  .    .....  50 

"  Washington      ......  48 

"  wedding  ........  47 

"  "        another  .....  47 

"  White  Mountain  .....  55 

"  frosting    ........  46 

"  "     .  chocolate    ....  46 

COOKIES,    GINGERBREAD, 
ETC. 

Cocoanut  drops  ........    63 

Cookies       ..........    62 

"       another  ........    62 

"       soft      .........    62 

61 


Cream  cakes 
Doughnuts,     . 

Gingerbread,  hard  molasses    . 
"  "    another  .. 

"  "     sugar      .    . 

"  soft,  molasses 

"  "     sugar       .    . 

"  very  plain  .....    64 

"  without  eggs  ....    64 

Ginger  crackers      .......    65 

"      snaps,  Boston  ......    65 

"         "       New  York     ....    65 

Jumbles,  fruit    ........    64 

Kisses    .........    .    .    63 

Macaroons      .........    63 

Wafers  ...........    62 

•    "      Tunbridge  .......    63 


BREAKFAST    CAKES. 

Corn  cake 42 

Gems 39 

Graham  drops 43 

Fritters 42 

«        snow      '. 42 

"        Spanish 42 


Griddle  cakes,  buckwheat  .    . 
"  "       buttermilk    .*$ 

"  "       ground  rice  .     . 

"  "       India  meal    .    . 

"  "       white  flour   .     . 

"  "       without  an  egg 


Jenny  Lind 


41 
40 
41 
40 
40 
40 
36 

Johnny  cake 43 

Sally  Lunn 36 

Strawberry  short  cake 35 

Top-overs 38 

White-meal  cake 42 

Whortleberry  cake 36 


SOUPS. 

Soup,  stock  for 133 

"      a  rich 167 

"     chicken 172 

"      corn 212 

"     economical 172 

"     Julienne 169 

"     lamb 171 

"      lobster 173 

«     mock-turtle 170 

"     mutton 171 

"      ox-tail 

"     oyster 

"  pea   ........ 

"  roast-beef-bone .    .    .    < 

"      shank    

"      tomato .168 

"     turkey 170 

"      turtle-bean 168 

"      veal 171 

"      vegetable 171 

"     vermicelli 169 


172 
169 
170 

168 
168 


FISH. 

Fish,  directions  respecting      .    .    .177 


/#     O^L^  ^    ^/U&t(          /^^— J/^    tfu 

v  v  ^  y 

/H   /^^^^/^^Kj~^    (C^^t^u.—  ^ie    ^^-^ 

y  c     7^  7 

G^£&#£d^    ^  ^-^-2^^-<_  /^  £-&&-  y^^^^_j^ 

4v*sM<r  A*£-*  ^^^  jfr*jKC<_  jfi^^^^^^ 

y  l  y  y       •     ^  y    ^          x^^^-^, 

r^±i^±i^    <43&£&£^t<i_.  ^x^^^^X^  ^  ^a^S 

fd-t^^^  /^  ^^/^^^  ^^^±^L^^^ 

^  (lisk^^'    /3~-^-<^U>cs^J 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


305 


Fish,  directions  respecting  salting  .  190 
''  bass,  baked 189 

Black  fish,  baked 179 

"  "  boiled 179 

Chowder,  to  make 179 

"  Marblehead 180 

Clams,  to  open 187 

Clam  chowder 187 

"  "  another 187 

Clams,  escaloped 188 

Codfish,  baked 179 

"  boiled .  178 

"  fried  ....-»...  178 

"  Bait  fried 180 

"  "  minced 181 

balls 181 

"  sounds  and  tongues  .  .  .  178 

Eels,  fried  188 

"  stewed 188 

Halibut,  boiled 181 

"  broiled 181 

"  smoked 190 

Lobsters 186 

"  curried 186 

"  salad 201 

"  "  another 201 

Mackerel,  broiled 188 

"  fresh,  broiled 188 

Oysters,  curried 185 

"  escaloped 184 

"  fried 184 

pickled 184 

"  raw 185 

"  roasted 182 

"  steamed 188 

"  stewed 185 

"  "  another  ....  185 

Oyster  pie  183 

"  " 184 

"  patties 186 

Perch 188 

Pickerel 188 

Quahogs,  or  round  clams     ....  189 

Salmon,  boiled 182 

"  broiled 182 

"  cutlets,  English  ....  183 

"  salad 202 

"  smoked 190 

Scolops,  fried      ........  187 

"  stewed 187 


Shad,  baked 1S3 

"      broiled 182 

"      potted 189 

"      salt,  to  prepare  to  broil .     .     .  190 
"      to  salt  to  keep  a  year     .     .    .  195 

Smelts 190 

Trout     ,  .  189 


POULTRY. 

Poultry,  directions  for  selecting  .    .  159 
"  "  "    cooking    .     .  159 

"        to  dish 158 

Chickens,  boiled 162 

"        broiled 162 

"         curried 166 

"         fricasee 162 

"         fried  .    . 163 

"        prairie,  broiled    .    .    .    .163 
"  "        fricasee  .    .    .    .163 

"         roasted 161 

"         salad 162 

"         patties     .    .    .    .'  .    .    .225 

"         pie 164 

Ducks,  boiled 164 

"      roasted 164 

Goose,  roasted 165 

Turkey,  directions  for  cooking    .    .  159 

"        boiled 161 

"        boned 163 

"        hash 225 

"        roasted 160 

"        steamed 2^ 

"        to  stuff 140 


MEATS. 

Meats,  how  to  select 130 

'      directions  for  cooking  .     .    .141 

1      on  boiling 135 

*       "   roasting 134 

"      how  to  dish 158 

"      boiled  remnants  of  .    .    .    .224 

Beef,  a  la  mode 143 

"       "        "     more  rich   .    .    .    .143 

"     bouilli  .    . 144 

"     corned 194 

"          "        boiled     .  .  145 


THE   YOUNG   HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEND. 


Beef,  croquettes 224 

Beef  corned,  and  beans 224 

«     hashed 226 

"     fricassee  of 157 

*     pie 225 

"      roast     141 

"      roast  remnants  of 223 

"         "  "         another  .     .     .  223 

"      smoked,  frizzled 156 

"  "         to  shave 157 

"      steak 141 

"         "      smothered  onions      .    .  146 

«          "      stuffed 142 

"         "      with  tomato       .    .    .     .142 

"      stewed 144 

"      tongues 193 

Calf  s  head,  brain  sauce       .    .    .     .151 

Ham  and  eggs 156 

"    a  fraise  of 175 

"    boiled 155 

"    broiled 156 

"    to  cure 192 

"        "        another  way     ....  193 
"    to  keep  through  summer      .     .  193 

"     to  prepare  pickle 192 

Hash,  with  dropped  eggs     ....  226 

Lamb,  a  la  mode 148 

"      boiled 145 

"      chops 145 

"      curried 166 

"      haricot  of H6 

"      roast 148 

Liver 157 

^itton,  boiled 145 

"        chops 145 

"  "    another 146 

"        haricot  of 146 

"        hashed  , 226 

"        roast 145 

"        steak  with  tomato  .    .    .    .146 

Pig,  to  roast 153 

Pork  and  beans  baked 222 

"     a  shoulder  of 154 

"     a  spare-rib,  or  chine  ....  154 

"      salt,  to  fry 156 

"     steak 154 

"      to  salt .  192 

"      corned • 194 

Salt  meat  and  vegetables     ....  222 
Sandwiches     ...,,.     ...  157 

Sausages,  to  make 194 

"         to  fry 156 


Souse 227 

Tongue,  bouilli 147 

to  boil 147 

Tripe 158 

Veal,  broiled 151 

"      cake,  or  Melton  veal  ....  152 

"      croquettes  of 224 

"  "         cold 152 

"      cutlets 150 

"      loin  of 149 

"      minced 224 

"     pie,  baked 150 

"      pot-pie 149 

"      pressed,  for  lunch  or  tea     .     .  226 

"      ragout  of 151 

"      stewed  breast  of 150 

"      to  roast,  fillet  of 148 


GAME. 

Partridges,  boiled 165 

"          roasted 165 

"          to  stuff 140 

Pigeons,  curried 166 

44        in  disguise 165 

"        roasted 165 

"        to  stuff 140 

Pigeon  pie 166 

Quails 166 

Rabbits,  how  to  cook 152 

Squirrels,       "       " 152 

Venison         "       " 153 

Woodcocks, "       " 166 


SAUCES    FOB    MEATS,    FISH, 
AND    POULTRY. 

Sauce,  anchovy 140 

"       apple 126 

"       caper 138 

"       celery 139 

"       cranberry 116 

"       currant  jelly 140 

"       drawn  butter 137 

"  egg  (for  boiled  fish)      .    .    .138 

"       English  onion 138 

"       lemon 139 

«       mint .  139 

"      mushroom 138 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


307 


Sauce,  oyster 139 

"  "      another 139 

Venison,  gravy  for 137 


SALADS. 


To  dress  lettuce      .... 

"  "  another  .  . 

Chicken  salad 

Kole  slaw 

Lobster  salad  (for  supper)  . 

"          "       (for  dinner)   . 

"  sauce  

Salmon  salad 

Superior  "  dressing  .  . 


.  200 
.  200 
.  162 
.  202 
.  201 
.  201 
.  202 
.  202 


EGGS. 

Eggs,  boiled 173 

"      dropped 174 

"      fried       173 

"      poached .173 

"      scrambled 175 

"      with  a  fraise  of  ham  .     .     .     .175 
"      to  beat  the  whites  of  .     .     .     .46 

Omelette,  baked 174 

"         fried 174 

"         oyster 175 

"         a  fried 175 

"         Longwood 254 

"         puff 176 

"         souffle 176 

"         tomato   .  .  176 


VEGETABLES  AND  SAUCES. 

Vegetables,  for  different  dishes    .    .  141 
"  directions  for  cooking    .  203 

Artichokes -208 

Asparagus 207 

Beans,  shelled 207 

"       string 207 

Beets 209 

Cabbage 211 

Carrots 209 

Cauliflowers 212 

Celery 208 


Corn,  boiled 212 

Corn  oysters 213 

Cucumbers 208 

"  another 213 

Egg  plant 212 

Greens 211 

Macaroni 209 

Mushrooms 208 

"  to  select 218 

Onions 211 

Parsnips 209 

Peas 207 

Potatoes  and  ham 206 

"        boiled 203 

"        broiled 205 

"        chopped,  fried 205 

"        cold 205 

"        fried 205 

"  "     whole 204 

"        heated  in  milk 205 

"        Lyonaise 206 

"        mashed 204 

"        old 204 

"        sweet 206 

Potato  balls 204 

Radishes     .  • 208 

Rice,  baked 230 

"     boiled '  ...  227 

Salsify,  or  oyster  plant 210 

Spinach 211 

Squash,  summer      .......  210 

"        winter 210 

Succotash 212 

Tomatoes,  baked 196 

"         broiled 197 

"         like  cucumbers  .     .    .    .197 

"          stewed 196 

"              "to  keep  a  year     .  198 
Turnips,  mashed 206 


PIES. 

Pastry,  on  making 68 

Paste,  rich  puff 71 

Pie  crust,  good 72 

"       "      potato 72 

"    apple,  stewed 72 

"        "     sweetened  with  molasses  73 

"       "     uncooked    .  .  73 


308 


THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEXD. 


Pie,  apple,  uncooked,  another  ...  73 

"  cherry  74 

"  cranberry 74 

"  currant 74 

"  custard 107 

"  gooseberry 74 

•'  lemon,  with  frosting  ....  75 

"  meringue 72 

"  mince,  rich '75 

"  "  not  as  rich 75 

"  "  suet  76 

"  temperance 76 

"  "  very  plain 76 

"  "  "  "  another  .  .  77 

"  Peach  . 77 

"  pumpkin 77 

"  rhubarb 77 

"  rice  custard 106 

"  squash 77 

"  "  without  eggs 78 

"  Washington 55 

"  whortleberry 74 

Puffs 78 


PUDDINGS. 

Puddings,  directions  about      ...  79 

Pudding,  almond 82 

apple 81 

"      a  plain 95 

"             "      Marlborough  ...  82 

"              "      sago 99 

"         batter,  baked 83 

"              "        boiled 83 

"              "            "     another  .    .  83 

"         berry 93 

"      another 93 

"             "      English 92 

"         bird's-nest 84 

'*         bread       84 

"             "      batter 91 

"         charlotte 98 

"         Christmas .88 

"         cocoanut 85 

"         cottage 85 

"              "        another    ....  85 

"         cracker 85 

"              "        another  ....  85 


Pudding,  Delmonico's 91 

"         dumpling,  apple,  baked    .  97 

"              "        boiled  .  96 

"              "       steamed  96 
"      blackberry,  baked  97 

"                "     steamed  97 

"            Newburyport  96 

"         farina        86 

"         fig  (a  Canadian)    ....  82 

"         frozen        253 

"          gelatine 91 

"         German  plum 92 

"        without  eggs   .     .  93 

"        puff 92 

"         Indian,  baked 93 

"               "        boiled 94 

"        with  sweet  apples  93 

"         maizena 87 

"         plum 87 

"         queen's 85 

"         railroad 94 

"         raspberry 92 

"         rice,  baked 88 

"        230 

"      .       "      convenient  ....  86 

"      ground 98 

"      meringue     ....  88 

"             "      AVithout  eggs    ...  94 

"         roley  poley 97 

"         rye  batter .84 

"         sago 89 

"      apple 99 

"           "      without  eggs    ...  98 
"         Salem    "           " 
"          snow    . 


strawberry 92 

squash 89 

tapioca 90 

*'       frosted     ....  254 

vermicelli 86 

White  Mountain  ....    86 


PUDDING    SAUCES. 


Pudding  sauce,  cold 81 

"  "        elegant 81 

"        plain 81 

"  "       sour  cream  .  81 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


300 


SWEET    DISHES. 


.  .  100 
.  .  105 
.  .  100 
.  .  101 
.  .  99 
.  .  102 
Isinglass  .  .  ...  -101 

»  "        moss 102 

Charlotte  Russe 1°2 

Custards,  almond 10 

»          apple 


Apple  island 
"      meringue 
"      snow     .... 
anc  mange,  calfs-foot 
"  "        farina     . 

«  "        gelatine 


105 


baked 1°7 

boiled 1°4 

"      another • 

chocolate 1°6 

coffee       106 


rennet 


111 


"          steamed 1°6 

Floating  island 1° 

Froth,  stained 

Jelly,  calf  s-foot 

"      gelatine  English 103 

"      lemon 

Meringues 

Raspberry  trifle    ....... 

Snow-balls 


Apples,  crab 

pine 

"     without  boiling 

Blackberries 

Cranberries 

Currants 

Damsons     ...•••• 

Egg  plums 

Jam,  apple,  to  keep  a  year  . 

cherry 

grape      

pine-apple  ..... 
raspberry 

quince 

-101 
"      .another 1- 

Jellies,  to  make 112 

Jelly,  apple 12 

a  nutritious 246 

barberry 


Ill 
103 


101 
109 
105 
255 


ICES. 


107 


.  115 
.  115 
.  115 
.  116 
.  116 
.  116 
.  117 
.  121 
.  122 
.  121 
.  121 
.  122 
.  121 


I23 


253 


Ices,  directions  for  making      . 

kl      apricot 

"      lemon • 

"      raspberry 

"     strawberry 1°8 

Ice  Cream 1°9 

•'        "      chocolate 108 

»        "     .Philadelphia 109 

»        "      pine-apple HI* 

«      rich 108 

Cream,  imperial 110 

"       Italian 253 

«       snow H° 

.  110 


black  currant 249 

crab-apple I2 

cranberry I2 

currant 1^ 

lemon 10 

quince I'2 

;      wine .248 

Marmalade,  crab-apple 12 

"  quince 120 

"  sweet-apple 12 

Peaches,  preserved 117 

Pine-apple,  fresh 256 

Quinces,  preserved  with  sweet  ap- 
ples      11 

Quinces,  preserved  without  boiling 

syrup 11 

Strawberries,  preserved 120 

«  "  another .  .  120 
Syrup,  to  make  for  preserves  .  .  .113 
Tomatoes,  preserved 197 


BAKED  AND  STEWED  FRUITS. 


Sherbet,  lemon 


Apple  sauce 


126 


strawberry 


110 


PRESERVES,    JEIXIES,    ETC. 

Apples,  preserved 


boiled  cider  .....  127 

"          "    family 129 

Apples,  baked,  sweet 127 

«  "       sour 127 

«         coddled 128 

«        dried 129 


310 


THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER  S    FRIEND. 


Apples,  steamed 126 

Pears,  baked 118 

««      boiled 129 

Peaches,  dried,  to  stew    .....  129 
Quinces,  boiled 126 

ECONOMICAL,    RECEIPTS. 

Beef  croquettes 224 

"     or  mutton  hashed 226 

"     pie 225 

Brawn 224 

Bread,  uses  for 232 

Bruiss 232 

Chicken  patties 225 

Cracked  wheat 228 

Crumb  cakes 231 

French  toast 39 

Hasty  pudding 228 

Head  cheese 227 

Hominy,  boiled 229 

"         fried 229 

Milk  toast 232 

Minced  fish 181 

veal 224 

Oat-meal  pudding 230 

Pan  pie 230 

"      another 231 

Pork  and  beans,  baked 222 

Remnants  of  roast  beef 223 

"  "    .  "     another  .    .  223 

"         boiled  meat 224 

Salt  meat  and  vegetables     ....  222 

Souse      .  - 227 

Turkey  hash 225 

Welch  rarebit 176 

PICKLES    AND    CONDIMENTS. 

Butternut  pickle 215 

Cauliflower  "  217 

Cherries,  pickled 216 

Chili  sau%^.^ 218 

Chow  chow 217 

Cucumbers,  pickled 213 

Currants  "  216 

"        spiced 254 

Currant  catsup 218 

Damsons,  pickled 218 

G-encsee  pickle 254 

Mangoes,  pickled 214 

Martinias       "          216 


Mushrooms,  pickled 218 

Nasturtiums        "        215 

Onions  "        215 

Peaches  "        214 

Peppers  "        215 

Picalilli  (of  all  kinds,  pickles)     .    .  217 

Plums,  pickled 216 

Red  cabbage,  pickled 217 

Sterling  pickle •  .  216 

Tomato      "         198 

"        catsup 198 

"  "       another 199 

Tomatoes,  pickled 216 

Vinegar,  good  cider 256 

"        raspberry 258 

CANNING  FRUITS 124 

DRINKS. 

Beer,  English  ginger 259 

"      maple 259 

"      spring 259 

"      spruce  and  boneset    .     .     .    .260 

Chocolate 220 

"         another 221 

Cocoa ,.  '.  221 

"     to  make  the  ground   .     .    .    .221 

"     shells 221 

Coffee,  to  roast 219 

"       to  make 220 

"       milk 220 

Cream,  syrup  of 221 

"        to  raise  a  thick 221 

Sarsaparilla  mead 258 

Tea    .  219 


FOOD,    DRINKS,  AND   SIMPLE 

REMEDIES     FOR     THE 

SICK. 

Apple  tea 247 

Arrow  root 245 

Barley  water 245 

Beef  tea 243 

"        another 243 

«  «          243 

Calf 's-foot  broth 245 

Caudle 247 

Chicken  broth 244 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


311 


Chicken  tea 244 

"       panada 244 

Chilblains,  to  relieve 250 

Crust  coffee 251 

Currant  shrub 258 

"       wine 258 

Earache,  to  cure 250 

Fever,  refreshing  drink  in  a     ...  251 

Gruel,  flour 252 

"       ground  rice 246 

"       Indian  meal .......  246 

"       oat  " 246 

Herb  drinks 251 

Infants,  food  for 243 

"      young 251 

"      just  weaned  .    .    .  252 

Milk  porridge 245 

Mustard  plaster,  how  to  make     .    .  250 

Panada 246 

Pearl  sago  and  tapioca 245 

Poison,  antidote  to 249 

Rennet,  whey 217 

Syrup,  blackberry 249 

"        lemon 257 

Tea,  cinnamon 248 

"     flaxseed 248 

Toast  water 251 

"VYine  whey 245 

"      rennet  .  .  260 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS. 

Beef  tongue,  pickle  for 193 

Butter,  making 236 

a  good  brine  for  keeping  .  240 

"  to  keep  sweet  a  year  .  .  .241 

Calf's  head,  to  cleanse 262 

Camphor,  ice 256 

Candy,  molasses 255- 

"  lemon 255 

Cheese,  to  make 241 

Chocolate  caramels 256 

Cider,  to  boil 260 

''  to  keep  sweet  and  sparkling  .  257 

Cologne  water 260 

Eggs,  to  keep 262 

Fat  and  drippings,  care  of  ....  233 

Liniment,  Canadian 261 

Lard,  to  try 195 

Milk,  the  care  of 236 


Parsley,  to  keep 261 

Pomade 268 

Rose  butter  (a  good  substitute  for 

rose  water) 261 

Rennet,  to  prepare 242 

Soap,  to  make  with  ashes  ....  235 

"  "  potash  ....  235 

Suet,  to  keep 261 

Tooth  powders 261 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    WASHING, 
AND  SUNDRIES. 

Ants,  to  drive  away 262 

Ashes,  sawdust,  &c.,  use  to  be 

made  of 271 

Bedsteads,  care  of 270 

Blankets,  to  wash 291 

Books,  ink,  &c.,  to  keep  from 

moulding 261 

Calicoes,  to  wash 283 

"  mourning,  to  wash  .  .  .  284 

Carpets,  to  wash 293 

Cellar,  to  sweep  a  cemented  .  .  .  269 
Cockroaches  and  beetles,  to  kill  .  .  262 

Counterpanes,  to  wash 292 

Drain,  to  purify 264 

Feathers,  to  remove  the  bad  odor 

from  new 264 

Flat-irons,  to  take  off  starch  or  rust .  266 
Fresh  paint  or  grease,  to  take  out  .  265 

Frozen  limbs,  to  treat 250 

Furniture,  to  remove  spots  from  .  .  267 
"  unvarnished,  to  polish  .  270 

Glass,  china,  and  wood,  cement  for  .  266 
Grass  in  gravel-walks,  to  destroy  .  271 
House-plants,  to  prepare  earth  for  .  270 
Hyacinths,  to  raise  in  winter  .  .  .271 

Ink,  to  take  out 265 

Inlaid  floors,  to  take  care  of  ...  269 
Iron-mould,  to  take  out  .  .*  Jl .  .  264 
Iron  ware  and  stoves,  to  remove 

rust  from 266 

Iron,  glass,  and  earthen  ware,  to 

prevent  being  easily  broken  .  .  266 
Knife-handles,  to  prevent  from 

cracking 267 

Knives,  to  prevent  from  rust  .  .  .  267 
Lace  and  black  veils,  to  renovate  .  290 
Mildew,  to  take  out 264 


312 


THE    YOUNG    HOUSEKEEPER'S    FRIEXD. 


Mortar  or  paint,  to    remove   from 

windows 267 

Moths,  to  keep  woollens,  furniture, 

&c.,  from 262 

Moths,  to  kill 264 

Muslins  and  laces,  to  wash,  starch, 

and  iron 284 

Mousline  de  Laines,  &c.,  to  wash  .  288 
Paint,  to  clean  with  pumice-stone  .  267 
Paper  hangings,  to  clean  ....  270 

Piano-keys,  to  cleanse 269 

Ribbons  and  raw  silks,  to  wash  .    .  290 

Roses,  soot  tea  for 271 

Shawls,  to  wash 289 

Sink  or  drain,  to  purify 264 

Starch,  fine,  to  make 289 

"        flour        "       2S7 

"        cold          "     and  use    .    .    .288 
Starching,    ironing,    and    polishing 

linen 283 

Sweeping 268 

Table-covers,  worsted,  to  wash  .     .  292 
Velvet  or  velvet  ribbons,  to  reno- 
vate      291 

Washing,  directions  about  .    .     .    .275 


"Wash,  calicoes,  to 283 

"      carpets 293 

"      counterpanes 292 

"  tick  of  feather-bed  or  pillow,  292 
"  muslins  and  laces  ....  284 
"  ribbons  and  raw  silks  .  .  .  290 
"  table-covers,  worsted  .  .  .  292 

Well,  to  purify  a 272 

Whiten  or  bleach,  to 294 


HINTS     ON    HEALTH. 

Bathing  .  .  . 296 

Burns  and  scalds     ........,•  302 

Care  of  children 2U9 

"  of  sick 297 

Convulsions .  301 

Cramp  in  limbs -.302 

Location  of  residence 295 

Regularity  of  meals 295 

Sleeping-rooms 297 

To  relieve  the  stings  and  bites  of 

insects 302 

Ventilation  .  297 


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RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 


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(F5759slO)4188 


General  Library     . 
University  of  California 
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